China’s Jiangsu Province announces plan to develop Zero-Waste Cities 
On Jan. 28, 2022, the Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment of China’s Jiangsu Province announced a plan to develop zero-waste cities across the province. According to a zero-waste city development plan issued by China’s State Council in December 2018, a “zero-waste city” refers to a waste reduction model city that minimizes the generation of solid waste, recycles waste materials sufficiently and reduces as much landfill waste as possible. Based on this national plan, cities in Guangdong, Shandong and other provinces are conducting zero-waste city development pilot programs.
Here is an overview of Jiangsu Province’s latest zero-waste city development plan.
Overall goals
- By 2025, achieve the objectives of zero-waste city development across the province, and meet the zero-waste city development requirements set by the state in at least four prefecture-level cities (cities with municipal districts, such as Nanjing and Wuxi)
- By 2030, meet the above requirements in all the prefecture-level cities
Key objectives
Develop necessary measures and systems
Establish indicators of the following five things for zero-waste city development: reduction in solid waste generation, recycling, final disposal, implementation capability and public satisfaction
Promote green development
- Implement green production in the industry sector
- Expedite green transformation in the petrochemical, chemical and other industries
Promote comprehensive waste management and implement thorough and systematic measures
- Enhance recycling capabilities and rates
- Develop digital oversight systems
Develop zero-waste cities with distinctive features
- Carry out pilot programs for solid waste control in areas with a high concentration of chemical companies
- Develop zero-waste industrial parks where materials are circulated among companies in an industrial park to recycle solid waste
The full text of Jiangsu Province’s plan (in simplified Chinese) is available at
http://sthjt.jiangsu.gov.cn/art/2022/1/28/art_80485_10337655.html
