China

Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Development of Circular Economy Plan (2021-2025) ⁹
3. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)
4. Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Further Strengthening the Control of Excessive Packaging of Commodities (2022) ¹⁰

Brief Description:

1. Plastic manufacturers must strictly implement national laws and regulations. All plastic products must meet national standards, and chemical additives that are harmful to the human body and environment are banned to add. Green designs are encouraged to improve the safety and recycling performance of plastic products. Moreover, new green and environmentally friendly functional materials are also attractive, and the use of recycled plastics that meet quality control standards and use control requirements will increase, and the research and development of recyclable, easily recyclable, and degradable alternative materials and products will be strengthened.
    
   At the same time, the standardization, centralization, and industrialization of the resource utilization of plastic waste will be promoted, and related projects would be concentrated in resource recycling bases and other parks to improve the level of plastic waste resource utilization. Plastic waste with high sorting costs which is unsuitable for resource utilization, would be promoted for energy utilization. The operation and management of enterprises would be strengthened to ensure the stable and up-to-standard discharge of various pollutants and minimize the amount of plastic waste directly landfilled.
2. In July 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Development of Circular Economy Plan (2021-2025). According to the plan, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, great efforts will be made to develop a circular economy, promote the economical and intensive use of resources, build a resource-recycling industrial system and a recycling system of waste materials. By 2025, a resource recycling industry system will be basically established and a resource recycling system covering the entire society will be basically completed. By then, resource utilization efficiency will be substantially improved, and the replacement ratio of renewable resources to primary resources will be further increased. According to the plan, China is expected to roll out up to 11 key projects or actions, including the Action on Whole Chain Treatment of Plastic Pollution, which aims to implementing prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation.
3. Actively promote green design of plastic products. Focusing on disposable plastic products, formulate relevant standards for green design, optimize product structure design, reduce the complexity of product material design, and enhance the ease of recycling of plastic products. Prohibit the production of ultra-thin plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm, polyethylene agricultural mulch films with a thickness of less than 0.01 mm, and daily chemical products containing plastic microbeads and other products that endanger the environment and human health.
4. Strengthen technological innovation in the field of packaging. Promote packaging enterprises to provide reasonable designed, material saving, convenient recycling, economical and applicable packaging overall solutions. Independently research and develop low-gram weight, high-strength and functional packaging materials and their production equipment and innovate and develop integrated packaging products for commodities and express delivery. Give full play to the role of packaging enterprises as a bridge in promoting simple packaging and rational consumption, and promote the practice of simplicity and moderation in packaging design, commodity production and other upstream and downstream links.

⁹:https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-07/07/content_5623077.htm
¹⁰:http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2022-09/08/content_5708858.htm

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Specific Measures:
■ Use of Biodegradable Plastics
■ Use of Recycled Materials
■ Others:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. Promote the use of alternative products. In shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores and other places, promote the use of environmentally friendly cloth bags, paper bags and other non-plastic products and biodegradable shopping bags. Promote the use of biodegradable packaging film (bags) for fresh products. Promote the use of bio-based products such as straw-coated lunch boxes and alternative products such as biodegradable plastic bags in the field of food and beverage takeaways that meet performance and food safety requirements. In key mulching areas, promote biodegradable film on a large scale in conjunction with agronomic measures. Actively adopt new green functional materials, increase the use of recycled plastics that meet quality control standards and usage control requirements, strengthen the research and development of recyclable, easy-to-recycle and biodegradable alternative materials and products, reduce application costs, and effectively increase the supply of green products.
2. Scientifically and steadily promote plastic substitute products. Fully consider the environmental impact of the whole life-cycle resources such as bamboo and wood products, paper products, and degradable plastic products, and improve the quality and food safety standards of relevant products. Carry out research on the degradation mechanism and impact of different types of degradable plastics, and scientifically evaluate their environmental safety and controllability. Improve the standard system, issue biodegradable plastics standards, standardize the use fields, and clarify the degradation conditions and disposal methods. Increase transformation of key core technology research and achievement of degradable plastics, continuously improve product quality and performance, and reduce application costs. Promote the orderly development of biodegradable plastics industry, guide the rational layout of the industry. Accelerate the scientific research and use of biodegradable agricultural film. Strengthen the capacity building of degradable plastics testing and standardize the order of the industry.

Specific Measures:
Targeted Products
■ Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
■ Others

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. By the end of 2020, the production of daily chemical products with plastic microbeads will be banned. By the end of 2022, the sale of daily chemical products containing plastic microbeads will be prohibited.
2. Prohibit the production of some products that jeopardize the environment and human health, such as daily chemical products containing plastic microbeads.

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■ Regulatory Measures (ex: production ban, ban on use..etc)

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Work Plan for Plastic Pollution Control in the Civil Aviation Industry (2021-2025) ¹¹

Brief Description:

1. By the end of 2020, the production and sale of disposable foam plastic tableware and disposable plastic swabs would be banned. The nationwide catering industry would prohibit the use of non-degradable disposable plastic straws; the use of non-degradable disposable plastic tableware would be prohibited for catering and dining services in urban built-up areas and scenic spots at or above the prefecture level; non-degradable plastic bags would be prohibited from being used in shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, and food and beverage packaging and delivery services in some urban built-up areas. By the end of 2022, star-rated hotels and guesthouses nationwide will no longer actively provide single-use plastic products; by the end of 2025, the implementation will be extended to all hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs.
   By the end of 2022, postal express outlets in Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and other provinces and cities will first prohibit the use of non-biodegradable plastic packaging bags, disposable plastic woven bags, etc., and reduce the use of non-biodegradable plastic tape. By the end of 2025, the use of non-degradable plastic packaging bags, plastic tapes, disposable plastic woven bags, etc. will be banned at postal express outlets nationwide.
2. From 2022, the provision of single-use non-degradable plastic straws, cutlery and bags will be banned in airports and domestic passenger flights with an annual passenger throughput of 2 million passengers or more, and the implementation will be further extended to national airports and international passenger flights from 2023.

■ Economic Measures (levy, tax, subsidies…etc.)
Notice on restricting the production and sale of plastic shopping bags¹²

Brief Description:
Since June 1, 2008, in all supermarkets, shopping malls, marketplaces and other commodity retail establishments have implemented the system of paying for the use of plastic shopping bags and no free plastic shopping bags are allowed. Commodity retail establishments must clearly mark the price of plastic shopping bags, charge for plastic shopping bags in addition to the price of goods and should not provide plastic shopping bags free of charge or include them in the total price of commodities.

■ Informational Measures (guideline, standards…etc.)

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. Improve quality control standards for recycled plastics and regulate the use of recycled plastics. Formulate and revise standard labels for degradable materials and products. Establish and improve green management and evaluation standards for enterprises in emerging fields such as e-commerce, express delivery and takeaway. Study the graded evaluation of packaging suitability for commodities with outstanding packaging problems, and put forward differentiated management measures. Incorporate the requirements for the control of disposable plastic products into the evaluation and rating standards for tourist attractions and star-rated hotels and restaurants. Improve the environmental protection-related standards for the resourceful and energy-oriented utilization of plastic waste.
2. Focusing on disposable plastic products, formulate standards related to green design. Fully consider the environmental impact of the whole life-cycle resources such as bamboo and wood products, paper products, and degradable plastic products, and improve the quality and food safety standards of relevant products. Issue biodegradable plastics standards, standardize the use fields, and clarify the degradation conditions and disposal methods. Improve standards for recycled plastics, accelerate the promotion and application of advanced and applicable technologies and equipment for the recycling and utilization of waste plastics, and encourage the utilization of plastic wastes in the same level and with high added value.

¹¹:https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2021-05/26/content_5612499.htm
¹²:http://www.gov.cn/zhuanti/2015-06/13/content_2879030.htm

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Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)
3. Several Opinions on Further Promoting the Work of Separating Domestic Waste¹³
4. Notice on Further Strengthening the Construction and Management of Rural Domestic Waste Collection and Disposal System¹⁴

Brief Description:

1. To combine with the implementation of waste classification, the classified collection, and treatment of plastic waste and other recyclables will be increased. At the same time, random stacking and dumping causing plastic waste pollution will be prohibited strictly. In places where large amounts of plastic waste are generated, such as office buildings, airports, stations, and ports, it is necessary to increase the delivery facilities and the frequency of removal. Multi-party cooperation among e-commerce takeaway platforms, environmental sanitation departments, recycling companies are promoted, and place delivery packages, takeaway lunch boxes, and other recycling facilities in key areas. The recycling system of the waste agricultural film will be established and improved; the recycling and disposal of waste fishing nets and fishing gear are also performed.
2. Strengthen the standardised recycling and removal of plastic waste. In conjunction with the classification of household waste, promote the integration of urban recycling outlets with household waste classification outlets and enhance the standardization of plastic waste recycling. Further strengthen the standardised collection of plastic waste in passenger transport such as roads, railways, water transport and civil aviation.
   Establish and improve the collection, transportation and disposal system for plastic waste in rural areas. Improve the system of collecting, transferring and disposing of classified rural domestic waste, build a long-term mechanism for stable operation, strengthen daily supervision. Deepen the implementation of agricultural film recycling action. Carry out action to recycle pesticide packaging. Support and guide relevant responsible entities to actively carry out recycling of waste agricultural and fishery materials such as irrigation implements, fishing nets and fishing gear, and rice seedling trays.
   Increase the recycling of plastic waste. Promote the scale, standardization and clean development of the plastic waste recycling industry. Strengthen the environmental supervision of plastic waste recycling enterprises.
   Upgrade the level of harmless disposal of plastic waste. Comprehensively promote the construction of domestic waste incineration facilities to significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste directly landfilled. Strengthen the comprehensive improvement of existing landfills, enhance the level of operation and management, standardise daily operations, prohibit the arbitrary dumping and storage of domestic waste, and prevent the leakage of historical landfilled plastic waste into the environment.
3. Upgrade the sorting and treatment capacity. Accelerate the construction of domestic waste classification and treatment facilities. Scientifically estimate the level of local domestic waste output, accelerate the construction of domestic waste incineration and treatment facilities in accordance with the principle of moderate advancement, make up for the shortcomings of food waste and hazardous waste treatment facilities, and carry out pilot market-based models of harmless waste treatment. Promote the transformation and upgrading of the recycling industry and the recovery and recycling of low-value recyclables from urban household waste.
4. To plan the construction and operation and management of the rural domestic waste collection and disposal system in an integrated manner. Scientifically and reasonably determine the mode of construction of rural domestic waste collection, transportation and disposal systems. Define the layout of rural domestic waste classification, collection, transportation, treatment or resource utilization facilities.
   Promote source separation and resource utilization of rural domestic waste. Strengthen the local treatment and resourceful use of perishable waste, do a good job of recycling recyclables, strengthen the collection, transportation and disposal of hazardous waste, and explore and summarise the rural domestic waste treatment model of sorting, collecting, transporting and disposing of waste in a sorted manner.

¹³:https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2021/content_5581078.htm
¹⁴: https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2022/content_5705843.htm

Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. In conjunction with the implementation of waste classification, increase the collection and treatment of plastic waste and other recyclables. Promote multi-party co-operation among e-commerce takeaway platforms, sanitation departments and recycling enterprises, and place recycling facilities for express packaging and takeaway boxes in key areas. Establish and improve a recycling system for used agricultural films; Standardize the recycling and disposal of waste fishing nets and gear.
2. Strengthen the standardised recycling and removal of plastic waste. In conjunction with the classification of household waste, promote the integration of urban recycling outlets with household waste classification outlets and enhance the standardization of plastic waste recycling. Further strengthen the standardised collection of plastic waste in passenger transport such as roads, railways, water transport and civil aviation. Deepen the implementation of agricultural film recycling action. Carry out action to recycle pesticide packaging. Support and guide relevant responsible entities to actively carry out recycling of waste agricultural and fishery materials such as irrigation implements, fishing nets and fishing gear, and rice seedling trays. Increase the recycling of plastic waste. Promote the scale, standardization and clean development of the plastic waste recycling industry. Strengthen the environmental supervision of plastic waste recycling enterprises.

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Specific Measures:
Action Plan for Marine Litter Cleanup in Coastal Cities (2024-2027)

Brief Description:
On the premise of meeting flood control requirements, the relevant coastal areas shall set up litter interception and collection facilities in rivers, ditches and sluice gates, etc., clean up accumulated litter on a regular basis and improve interception and collection capabilities at end of sea-entry.

Specific Measures:

1. Action Plan for Marine Litter Cleanup in Coastal Cities (2024-2027)
2. Special Action Plan for Waste Cleaning Up in Rivers, Lakes and Seas (2022-2023)¹⁵
3. Public Beach Clean-up Operations

Brief Description:

1. Since 2024, 65 bays adjacent to the built-up areas of cities and towns along the coast of the country will continue to carry out a 3-year comprehensive marine litter clean-up operations.
   Strictly control litter from land-based source into the sea. Relevant coastal municipalities shall strengthen the collection and transfer of litter along bays, ports and terminals, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, depend on the collection and treatment of household waste, the collection and transportation of ship pollutants, and the cleanup of rivers and lakes and reservoirs, link up with marine litter cleanup, reduce the entry of land-based litter into the river and into the sea, and strengthen integrated management of land and sea.
   Timely clean up beach litter and marine floating litter. Relevant coastal municipalities shall take into account local realities, adopt drone inspections, water surface salvage, and beach cleanup to carry out timely salvage and cleanup of beach litter and marine floating litter. As for beach litter, scientifically delineate the responsible beach section for litter cleanup, conduct segmented investigation and timely cleanup, so that there is no litter deposited within the visible beach area. As for marine floating litter, according to the tides and the pattern of litter drift, salvage the key areas prone to litter accumulation, such as concentrated aquaculture areas, tidal gyres, inlets and harbours, and around islands etc., so as to achieve that there is no obvious marine floating litter within the visible range below the coastline. Priority should also be given to the cleanup of beach litter and marine floating litter caused by typhoons and the receding of astronomical high tides in a timely manner. Remarkable phased achievements have been attained. The average coverage of beach litter of the relevant bays captured by drones has dropped from 5.14‰ in the second quarter of last year to 1.25‰ in the first quarter of this year, representing a reduction of 75.6%. A total of 157 concentrated distribution sections of marine litter along the coast (with a cumulative length of about 126 kilometers) have been discovered and cleared.
2. In 2022, Special Action Plan for Waste Cleaning Up in Rivers, Lakes and Seas was organised and carried out through a one-year dragnet cleaning, transfer and disposal of plastic litter in the rivers, lakes and seas. The stock of plastic litter in the watersheds has been substantially reduced, and plastic litter into rivers, lakes and seas has been effectively controlled.
   Comprehensively promote the clean-up of plastic litter in rivers and lakes. Focusing on important waters like the Yangtze River, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Haihe River, Pearl River, Songhua River, Liaohe River, Taihu Lake, Danjiangkou Reservoir, Three Gorges Reservoir, establish and improve the system of inspection and cleaning, promote the daily cleaning of water surfaces, and clean up floating plastic litter on water surfaces in a timely manner. Strengthen the emergency management of extreme weather and flooding, such as heavy rainfall, and clean up plastic litter washed into rivers in a timely manner.
   Focus on enhancing the clean-up of marine plastic litter. Focusing on 11 bays (bay areas), including Qinhuangdao Bay, continue to strengthen the treatment of marine floating plastic waste. Arrange the time and focus of cleanup reasonably, carry out regular salvage and cleaning in key areas prone to litter accumulation, such as intertidal zones, seapond embankments and concentrated aquaculture areas, salvage and clean the beach and adjacent sea areas regularly, and priority should also be given to the cleanup of beach litter and marine floating litter caused by typhoons and the receding of astronomical high tides in a timely manner. In a year-long dragnet clean-up operation targeting key bays, a total of 188,100 person-times have been deployed to clean up approximately 55,300 tonnes of various types of beach litter and marine floating litter.
3. Strengthen publicity and education on ocean cleanup, and actively promote public participation in beach cleaning in Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen, Sanya and other places through the ‘June 5th Environment Day’, ‘June 8th Ocean Day’ and other series of activities, together with the news media and commonweal organization every year.
   The Dalian Environmental Protection Volunteer Association was founded in 2003 and is committed to the development of ecological environmental protection and ecological environmental protection public welfare undertakings. At present, the Association has more than 120 group members, more than 18,700 registered volunteers, organizing an average of more than 10 public welfare activities each year of more than 300 events, with the number of participants of more than 50,000 person-times, to nearly a million of the public to promote the protection of the sea. Among them, it organizes more than 100 marine ecological environmental protection volunteer activities such as marine litter cleanup and publicity every year, with more than 30,000 person-times.
   The Blue Ribbon Ocean Conservation Association was founded in 2007 in Sanya, Hainan Province. It has continuously carried out marine litter publicity, education and public participation since 2009. It has a total of 137 member units, 37 coastal university student volunteer clubs, 11 professional volunteer teams of various types. A total of more than 100,000 volunteers have registered. In 2019, the Blue Ribbon Marine Conservation Association organized 798 marine litter publicity activities of various kinds, distributed 68,000 copies of publicity materials, and promoted marine conservation to more than 7,114,000 members of the public, and 317,300 volunteers participated in marine litter cleanup activities; it cleaned up 38.49 tons of beach litter, and 0.25 tons of seabed litter.
   Beijing Entrepreneurs Environmental Foundation (SEE Foundation), established in 2008, has been dedicated to funding and supporting the growth of non-governmental environmental organizations in China. Since 2012, the Foundation started to pay attention marine debris issues and has supported over 100 partner organizations to date. In collaboration with Ant Forest | Magical Ocean, it launched public-interest beach cleanup campaigns, which has been carried out 400 cleanup events across 46 coastal sites in 11 cities of 6 provinces, engaging over 12,000 participants. Additionally, the Foundation launched the Zero-Waste Island Project in Qingbang Island, Zhoushan City and Dongxiang Island, Fuzhou City. The project focuses on assisting in improving infrastructure for island waste sorting and recycling facilities ,and promoting waste classification practices among island residents and tourists.

¹⁵:http://fgw.qinghai.gov.cn/zfxxgk/sdzdgknr/fgwwj/202206/t20220623_81738.html

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Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)
3. Several Opinions on Accelerating the Green Development of Aquaculture (2019)
4. Opinions on Strengthening the Ecological Supervision of Mariculture (2022) ¹⁶

Brief Description:

1. Standardize the recycling and disposal of used fishing nets and gears.
2. support and guide relevant responsible entities to actively carry out the recycling and utilization of waste agricultural and fishery materials such as fishing nets and gears.
3. Strengthen the management of agricultural waste. Dismantle illegal aquaculture facilities like net-pen and net enclosures in accordance with the law.
4. The agricultural and rural (fishery) departments at all levels shall guide agricultural entities to collect solid wastes such as plastic litter generated by agricultural activities.

¹⁶:https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2022-01/12/content_5667762.htm

Specific Measures:

1. Several Opinions on Accelerating the Green Development of Aquaculture (2019)
2. Opinions on Strengthening the Ecological Supervision of Mariculture (2022)

Brief Description:

1. Rectify foam floats used in offshore raft and cage aquaculture, promote new materials for environmentally friendly floats, and make efforts to control white pollution. Strengthen the comprehensive remediation of waste after the removal of net-pen and net enclosures. Dismantle illegal aquaculture facilities like net-pen and net enclosures in accordance with the law.
2. Define ecological and environmental regulatory measures around key issues such as plastic waste in agricultural areas. Ecological and environment departments at all levels shall comprehensively utilize satellite remote sensing, drones and land and shore inspection etc., to increase the surveillance and supervision of the shoreline and ecological impacts on concentrated and continuous aquaculture activities. Strengthen collaboration on marine ecological environmental protection enforcement in respect of mariculture, improve the relevance and timeliness of enforcement, and focus on prominent issues such as the discarding of solid wastes from aquaculture that are identified during inspections, and promote timely solutions to these issues.

Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)
3. Several Opinions on Accelerating the Green Development of Aquaculture (2019)
4. Opinions on Strengthening the Ecological Supervision of Mariculture (2022)
5. Doing a Good Job of Cleaning Up and Remedying Illegal Fishing Gear in 2019 “Clearing the Net” Action (2019) ¹⁷

Brief Description:

1. Standardize the recycling and disposal of used fishing nets and gears.
2. Support and guide relevant responsible entities to actively carry out the recycling and utilization of waste agricultural and fishery materials such as fishing nets and gears.
3. Strengthen the management of aquaculture waste. Promote the centralized collection and resource utilization of shells, nets, floats and other by-products of aquaculture production and waste.
4. The agricultural and rural (fishery) departments at all levels shall guide agricultural entities to collect solid wastes such as plastic litter generated by agricultural activities.
5. Give full play to the role of self-restraint and self-management of fishermen's associations, fisheries cooperatives, fishing gear associations, and gradually establish and improve the traceable management system of whole process of fishing nets and gears from production, circulation, use to end-of-life recycling. Encourage fishing gear manufacturers to recycle discarded fishing gear from fishermen and fishing enterprises.

¹⁷:https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2019-10/28/content_5445987.htm

Brief Description:
Marine Environment Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (2023 Amendment)
Introduction:
The amended Marine Environment Protection Law stipulates that local people's governments at or above the county level where ports, docks, loading/unloading stations, or shipbuilding/repairing/scrapping facilities located shall coordinate the planning and construction of facilities for the reception, transfer, treatment, and disposal of ship pollutants and establish a multi-department joint supervision system governing these operations.
Coastal local people's governments at or above the county level is responsible for the supervision and management of pollution prevention and control in fishing ports, fishery vessel berthing points, and adjacent areas within their jurisdictional waters, regulate the recycling and disposal of domestic sewage, industrial effluent, and fishery waste and advance the construction of pollution control infrastructure and conduct environmental remediation.
Ports, docks, loading/unloading stations, and shipbuilding/repairing/scrapping units shall install adequate pollutant/waste reception facilities in compliance with regulations and maintain such facilities in operational readiness to ensure effective performance.
Operators handling pollution-hazardous goods (e.g., oil) at ports, docks, loading/unloading stations, or on vessels shall develop pollution emergency response plans and equip with corresponding emergency equipment and materials.

Brief Description:
■ Government Authorities

1. China Maritime Safety Administration (China MSA)
   Responsibilities: Formulate and implement national policies, regulations, technical standards, and norms for preventing and controlling ship pollution. Exercise unified management of maritime traffic safety and ship pollution prevention measures¹⁸.
2. Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD)
   Responsibilities: Oversee nationwide urban appearance management and environmental sanitation¹⁹.
3. Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
   Responsibilities: Supervise and administer the prevention and control of environmental pollution. Establish and enforce regulatory systems for pollution prevention and control for atmosphere, water, oceans, soil, noise, light, and odor pollution, solid waste, chemicals, and motor vehicles, and other pollution sources²⁰.

■ Industry Associations

1. China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry
   Responsibilities: Organize and conduct government-commissioned industry surveys; Propose recommendations to government departments on industrial development plans, economic policies, and legislation; Establish industry self-discipline mechanisms and formulate industry codes; Organize experience exchanges and training on talents, technologies, occupations, management, regulations, etc²¹.
2. China Fisheries Association (CFA)
   Responsibilities: Strengthen industry self-regulation and develop industry codes and conventions; Participate in formulating and revising international, national, and industry standards; Develop association-developed standards; Facilitate implementation of international fisheries conventions and Intergovernmental fisheries agreements; Execute civil society fisheries agreements²².

¹⁸:https://www.msa.gov.cn/page/article.do?articleId=86183E24-A5E6-4476-9DB6-B954A3E287DE
¹⁹:https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2017/content_5219144.htm
²⁰:https://www.mee.gov.cn/zjhb/zyzz/201810/t20181011_660310.shtml
²¹:https://www.cansi.org.cn/cms/document/show/7.html
²²:http://www.china-cfa.org/gyxh/xhjj/

Brief Description:

1. In accordance with the requirements of the Marine Environment Protection Law, loading/unloading stations, or shipbuilding/repairing/scrapping facilities shall, in accordance with relevant regulations, be equipped with sufficient reception facilities for the treatment of ship pollutants and waste, and ensure that such facilities are in good condition and operate effectively²³.
2. Full coverage of waste reception facilities shall be achieved in all Grade II and above fishing ports. Pursuant to the Notice on Coastal Fishing Port Pollution Prevention and Control issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, for Grade II and above fishing ports, coastal regions shall actively coordinate and promote the deployment and upgrading of pollution prevention facilities in fishing ports under their jurisdiction. Each fishing port shall set up at least one vessel waste reception point to collect and categorize waste from incoming vessels. Additionally, each port shall establish at least one solid waste collection and storage station dedicated to storing solid waste and hazardous materials collected from vessels, port waters, and docks. For Grade III and other fishing ports, localities can refer to the above standards²⁴.
3. Full coverage of ship pollutant delivery to shore has been essentially achieved along the Yangtze River trunk line. With 3,540 fixed reception facilities and 342 mobile reception vessels deployed at ports and docks across the trunk line, comprehensive reception capacity for ship pollutants now extends to all ports, docks and anchorages along the Yangtze River²⁵.
4. Full coverage of ship waste reception facilities has been achieved in Fujian Province. The Fujian Maritime Safety Administration and four other competent authorities jointly issued the Notice on Implementing the "Zero Discharge" Initiative for Ship Water Pollutants in Ports, specifying that through enhanced whole- closed-loop management, the province shall: Promote the construction of ship water pollutant reception facilities and public transfer/treatment infrastructure in coastal port waters, ensure effective implementation of the joint supervision system for ship water pollutants and promote the realization of "zero discharge, full reception, and comprehensive supervision " of water pollutants from vessels in Fujian's coastal port waters²⁶.

²³:https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/fl/202310/t20231025_1043942.shtml
²⁴:http://www.moa.gov.cn/nybgb/2020/202001/202004/t20200413_6341443.htm
²⁵:https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2022-09/29/content_5713654.htm
²⁶:http://res.cenews.com.cn/h5/tools/news.html?aid=1179805

Specific Measures:

1. Discharge Standard for Water Pollutants from Ships (GB 3552-2018)²⁷
2. Implementation Plan for the Domestic Waste Sorting System (2017) ²⁸
3. Technical Guidelines for Domestic Waste Treatment (2010)²⁹

Brief Description:

1. Separate Collection: Plastic waste, waste cooking oil, domestic waste, incinerator ash, waste fishing gear and electronic waste should be collected and discharged into the receiving facility.
2. Separate Treatment: Recyclables (waste plastics, waste fishing gear, waste electrical and electronic products, etc.) can be collected by recycling enterprises specializing in recycled resource utilization and undergo resource processing. Different varieties of hazardous waste shall be classified, collected and temporarily stored, and professional units are commissioned to collect and transport them at regular intervals. Perishable garbage should be transported to specialized units for treatment by closed special vehicles.
3. Separate Disposal: overall planning and construction of domestic waste terminal treatment and utilization facilities, configure facilities of waste incineration, kitchen waste resource utilization, renewable resources recycling, landfill, hazardous waste disposal, etc.

²⁷:https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/bz/bzwb/shjbh/swrwpfbz/201802/t20180202_430825.shtml
²⁸:https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2017/content_5186978.htm
²⁹: https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/bz/bzwb/wrfzjszc/201005/t20100520_189725.shtml

Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)
3. Marine Ecological Environment Protection Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. Increase the publicity of plastic pollution control, guiding the public to reduce the use of disposable plastic products, participate in waste classification, and resisting excessive packaging. Making use of newspapers, radio and television, new media, and other channels to in-depth publicize the effectiveness and typical practices of plastic pollution control. Guiding industry associations, business groups, and charity organizations to conduct professional seminars and voluntary activities in an orderly manner, building consensus, and creating a good atmosphere for the participation of the whole society.
    
   In terms of publicity and education, marine plastic survey and cleaning activities have become normalized relying on non-governmental environmental protection organizations and environmental protection volunteers, who have played active roles in preventing land-based waste from entering the sea. Through newspapers, television, the Internet and other media, promote the prevention of marine plastic pollution by strengthening public education and other methods, and raise the public awareness on prevention and control of marine plastic pollution.
2. Strengthen publicity, education and scientific popularization, guide the public to develop green consumption habits, reduce the consumption of disposable plastic products, and consciously fulfill the obligation of sorting and throwing household waste.
3. Give full play to the guiding role of the media in public opinion, make full use of the important nodes such as the June 5th Environmental Day, the June 8th Ocean Day and the International Beach Day, carry out publicity and education activities of marine ecological environment protection, popularize scientific knowledge of marine ecological environment, spread the concept of marine ecological civilization.

Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:
Give full play to the main responsibility of enterprises, strengthen government supervision and management, enhance policy guidance, gather social consensus, and form a multi-dimensional co-management system with the participation of the government, enterprises, industrial organizations and the public.
 
Cultivate and optimize new business forms and modes. Strengthen the green management responsibility of enterprises and implement green supply chains. E-commerce, takeaway and other platform enterprises should strengthen the management of merchants, develop implementation programs for the reduction and replacement of disposable plastic products, and release the implementation status to the society. Encourage enterprises to adopt equity cooperation, joint capital injection and other methods to build a cross-platform operation system for recyclable packaging. Encourage enterprises to use integrated packaging for commodities and logistics, and establish a recycling system for recyclable logistics and distribution appliances.
 
Increase the supply of green products. Plastic products manufacturers should strictly implement relevant laws and regulations, produce plastic products in line with relevant standards, and should not illegally add chemical additives that are harmful to the human body and the environment. Promote green design and enhance the safety and recycling performance of plastic products. Actively adopt new green and environmentally friendly functional materials, increase the use of recycled plastics that comply with quality control standards and usage control requirements, strengthen the research and development of recyclable, easy-to-recycle and degradable alternative materials and products, reduce application costs, and effectively increase the supply of green products.
 
Strengthen plastic waste recycling and transportation. Promote multi-party cooperation among e-commerce takeaway platforms, sanitation departments, recycling enterprises, etc., and place recycling facilities for express packaging and takeaway lunch boxes in key areas.
 
Supervise shipping enterprises to implement their main responsibilities, and crack down on illegal discharge of ship waste in accordance with the law.

Specific Measures:
Under the guidance of the Department of Marine Ecology and Environment of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment hosted the Marine Ecological Protection Publicity Campaign in Schools, which consisted of a series of thematic courses, on-site interactive quizzes and the distribution of publicity brochures. Through the courses, students were able to deepen their knowledge and understanding of marine plastic waste pollution and raise their awareness of marine ecological protection³⁰.
 
With the support of government departments at all levels, China Environmental Protection Foundation actively collaborates with enterprises, scientific research institutions, and other organizations to organize rich beach cleanups and publicity activities tailored to diverse groups of people. Notably, it has organized universities’ environmental protection clubs and corporate volunteers to carry out 453 coastal environment patrols, 155 voyages of marine pollution prevention and control, and 8 urban relay events for popularization of marine science in 11 cities across six coastal provinces, namely Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hainan, Liaoning, and Fujian. With a total participation of over 3,100 volunteers, these activities have facilitated the continuation of social action for marine environmental protection in China. These efforts have created opportunities for the public to understand and participate in marine conservation, actively encouraged public involvement in beach cleanup initiatives, and made positive contributions to fostering beautiful bays.
 
Ant Forest Foundation is a non-public fundraising foundation dedicated to improving and protecting the natural ecological environment, advocating and practicing green development across society, and facilitating welfare activities for environmental protection among the public. In 2023, Ant Forest Foundation officially launched the Beach Cleanup Public Welfare Initiative, collaborating with seven non-profit organizations to conduct regular beach cleanups at 40 beaches in nine cities across five provinces in China (Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hainan). At the same time, leveraging the internet-based public welfare platform, Ant Forest | Magic Ocean, it encourages the public to support the Beach Cleanup Public Welfare Initiative online using “green energy” accumulated through practicing a green and low-carbon lifestyle in their daily lives. It has garnered support from over 165 million people. The Ant Forest program has been supported by over 700 million people. By combining online and on-site efforts, it aims to guide more public to focus on the ocean and contribute to fostering beautiful bays in China.

³⁰:http://www.chinaeol.net/ceecst/202212/t20221221_1008342.shtml

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Specific Measures:

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. Plastic products manufacturers should promote green design to improve the safety and recycling performance of plastic products. Adopt new green and environment-friendly functional materials. Strengthen the research and development of recyclable and degradable alternative materials and products. Formulate a replacement implementation plan for the reduction of disposable plastic products. Strengthen the management of registered merchants in e-commerce, food delivery, and other platform enterprises, promote green supply chains.
2. Formulate the management measures for the use and report of disposable plastic products, establish and improve the reporting system for the use and recycling of disposable plastic products, and supervise and guide the operators of commodity retail, e-commerce, catering and accommodation to implement main responsibility. Supervise and guide e-commerce, takeout and other platform enterprises and express delivery enterprises to formulate platform rules for disposable plastic products reduction. Release recommended catalogue of green packaging products, promote the integration of products and express packaging, and promote the original direct delivery of e-commerce express. Give play to the role of public institutions and take the lead in reducing the use of single-use plastic products. In the reception and training venues affiliated to the agency, explore the pilot program of direct drinking water purifiers to replace plastic bottled water.

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Scope: ■ National

1. Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (2020)
2. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. Carry out research and evaluation of environmental risks throughout the whole life- cycle of different types of plastic products.
2. By 2025, the mechanism for plastic pollution control will operate with enhanced effectiveness, ensuring the effective implementation of responsibilities by local governments, departments, and enterprises. The comprehensive governance covering the whole chain of plastic products, from production to circulation, consumption, recycling, and final disposal, will yield more significant results, effectively containing white pollution.

Scope: ■ National
Plastics Environmental Footprint in China (2020) ³¹

Brief Description:
The Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology has authored the Environmental Footprint Assessment of Plastics in China. This study examines the plastic material flow in China and analyzes the environmental impact throughout the whole life-cycle of plastic products, encompassing their energy footprint, carbon footprint, and water footprint. Based on this analysis, the report proposes targets, roadmaps, safeguard measures, and anticipated benefits aimed at reducing plastic consumption (“plastic control”) during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

³¹:http://www.nrdc.cn/Public/uploads/2020-12-28/5fe941e197b58.pdf

Challenges (if applicable):
Specific Measures:
■ Established a monitoring/reporting program/mechanism
■ Regularly conduct monitoring/estimation/scientific research
■ Conduct monitoring/scientific research

Scope: ■ Local ■ National ■ Macro Plastics ■ Microplastics （<5㎜） ■ Ocean ■ others: rivers, soils, air etc.

1. National monitoring system for marine litter and microplastics
2. National Key Research and Development Program on Research on the Process of Microplastics Entering the Sea, Transport Fluxes and Ecological Risk Assessment Technologies
3. Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2021-2025)

Brief Description:

1. Since 2007, China has organized annual monitoring of marine litter in coastal localities, covering coastal cities at the prefecture level and above. This monitoring encompasses beach litter, floating litter on the sea surface, and submarine litter. Annual monitoring of marine microplastics has been implemented since 2016. The monitoring results are published through the Bulletin of Marine Ecological and Environmental Status of China³².
2. In 2022 The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) initiated the National Key Research and Development Program (NKRDP) topic of “Research on the Process of Microplastics Entering the Sea, Transport Fluxes and Ecological Risk Assessment Technologies,” led by East China Normal University (ECNU). This project focuses on investigating the land-river-air-sea transmission processes and migration mechanisms of microplastics. It also studies the ecological effects based on the characteristics of microplastic pollution in China’s marine regions.
3. Monitoring and investigation of marine plastic litter and microplastics have been conducted. China has conducted researches on pollution mechanisms, monitoring, and techniques of prevention and control related to plastic litter and microplastics in rivers, lakes, and seas.

³²:https://www.mee.gov.cn/hjzl/sthjzk/jagb/

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Specific Measures:

1. Participate in the intergovernmental negotiations on an international instrument on plastic pollution within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
2. Participate in exchanges and discussions on marine litter and microplastics within the framework of the Group of Twenty (G20), the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), the Collaborative Ocean-Based System for East Asian Seas (COBSEA), and the Tripartite Meeting of Ministers of the Environment of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (TEMM), among others.

Target Regions:
■ South East
 
Specific Measures:
Framework of ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2025 ³³
 
Brief Description:
The Framework of ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2025 focuses on four strategic directions, the second of which is "sustainable cities and marine plastic reduction". ASEAN and China will co-operate on marine ecosystem protection and plastic waste pollution prevention. The main activities include: strengthen policy exchange and round-table dialogue on sustainable cities, including urban biodiversity conservation and marine plastic reduction; carry out relevant scientific research, exchange of technology and innovation on marine litter management and good practices; carry out relevant scientific research, exchange of technology and innovation on marine debris management and good practices; carry out experience sharing and exchange in connection with good practices in plastic and micro-plastic pollution control and coastal area biodiversity conservation in coastal cities in the ASEAN region; work together to carry out community-based actions in ASEAN and Chinese coastal cities.

³³:http://www.lmec.org.cn/chinaaseanenv/zlyxdjh/202108/P020210806592484690608.pdf