Study Recycling and Recovery in the PR of China

Over the last few years, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has made great progress in addressing its waste management challenges. In the metropolitan areas, valuable substances (paper and board packaging, plastic, metals) are already collected and recycled separately. Therefore, their share in the municipal waste is not very high. Municipal waste is also recorded in urban areas. There is however a need for action, especially in the treatment and utilization of biogenic waste, which is still collected together with the residual waste so that its material and energy potential remains unused. In rural areas, waste management in general has to be essentially improved.

The goal of the study is to describe and analyze the current situation of biogenic waste in China and to develop suitable and adapted solutions for its future utilization.

The study focuses on the biogenic waste fraction from municipal waste except for sewage sludge. In addition, biogenic waste from restaurants is taken into account since this waste stream is very significant in China and its current treatment situation is to be changed in the future. The study does not consider hazardous waste.