China unveils 5-year circular economy plan for environmental goals

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China plans to undertake a number of steps for improving recycling, resource utilisation, enhancing efficiency and bringing clean production in key industries including petrochemicals, by 2025 to help establish circular economy in the country.

China’s top economic planner, The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), released the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for Circular Economy Development on 7 July, outlining a blueprint for circular economy development in the country.

By 2025, a mode of recycling production will be fully implemented, green design and clean production will be widely promoted, and a resource recycling industry system will be established and a resource recycling system covering the entire society will be completed.

By then, resource utilisation efficiency will be substantially improved, and the replacement rate of primary resources by renewable resources will be further increased, said the plan.

Under the plan, by 2025, the productivity of major resource is set to increase by about 20% compared with 2020.

The energy consumption per unit GDP and water consumption per unit GDP will be reduced by 13.5% and 16%, respectively.

The comprehensive utilisation rate of crop stalks will remain above 86%, and the comprehensive utilisation rate of both bulk solid waste and construction waste is set to reach 60%.

By 2025, the use of wastepaper and scrap steel will hit 60m tonnes and 320m tonnes, respectively, and the output of recycled non-ferrous metals will reach 20m tonnes.

By then, the output value of the resources recycling industry will hit Yuan (CNY)5 trillion.

The NDRC said it will boost clean production in key industries by making a corresponding policies specific to petrochemicals, chemicals, coking, cement and nonferrous metals.

It will promote recycling development of industrial parks and promote comprehensive utilisation of waste, gradient utilisation of energy, and the recycling of water resources.

Analysis by Yu Yunfeng