China unveils ambitious five-year plan to combat solid waste pollution

China has introduced a five-year action plan to enhance the prevention and control of solid waste pollution across key sectors, setting ambitious targets for reduction, monitoring, and illegal dumping control by 2030.

Jointly issued by six ministries, including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the National Development and Reform Commission, the action plan was made public on Tuesday.

By 2030, the plan aims to achieve significant results in the targeted remediation of solid waste in key sectors, effectively control historical stockpiles, and curb the high incidence of illegal dumping and disposal. Comprehensive management capabilities will be significantly enhanced, with a unified digital supervision network covering all key areas and the establishment of a series of zero-waste cities.

Specific targets for 2030 include reducing the proportion of hazardous waste disposed of via landfill from 13 percent in 2025 to below 10 percent, and cutting the share of stockpiled and landfilled key general industrial solid waste from about 56 percent in 2025 to under 30 percent. The plan also aims to reduce the incidence of illegal dumping and disposal events in 2030 by more than 60 percent from 2027 levels.