Recently, the State Council issued the Comprehensive Action Plan for Solid Waste Management (hereinafter referred to as the “Action Plan”). The Action Plan sets forth that by 2030, the annual comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste will reach 4.5 billion tons, and the annual recycling of major secondary resources will reach 510 million tons.

Industrial solid waste is a key focus of efforts to prevent and control solid-waste pollution. According to environmental statistics, in 2024, China’s total volume of comprehensively utilized general industrial solid waste reached 2.65 billion tons, an increase of 740 million tons compared with 2012. However, relative to the enormous and steadily growing generation volume, the amount actually converted into products or recovered as resources remains limited; nearly 2 billion tons of bulk industrial solid waste continue to be stockpiled each year. To address this, the Action Plan sets out clear targets: by 2030, targeted remediation in priority sectors will yield significant results; historical stockpiles of solid waste will be brought under effective control; the trend of frequent illegal dumping and disposal will be curbed; annual comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste will reach 4.5 billion tons; annual recycling of major secondary resources will reach 510 million tons; and the overall capacity and level of integrated solid-waste management will be markedly enhanced.

The Action Plan adopts targeted measures to address current weaknesses in the environmental oversight of solid waste, and, guided by a full‑cycle management approach, seeks to accelerate the establishment of a closed-loop regulatory system.

First, strengthen source‑level control. The focus is on tightening source‑level management of solid waste in industrial parks and key industries, reducing the intensity of solid waste generation, and gradually achieving a dynamic balance between solid waste generation and disposal capacity.

Second, strengthen oversight of waste flows. The focus is on improving the industrial solid waste management ledger system and strictly enforcing the approval regime for interprovincial transfers of industrial and hazardous wastes, thereby ensuring that the movement of solid waste is fully traceable.

Third, strengthen risk management and control. The focus is on enhancing the harmless pre‑treatment of industrial solid waste, revising and formulating technical standards for the pollution control of solid waste in a categorized manner, and reducing both the volume of stored and landfilled waste and the associated environmental risks. At the same time, conduct inspections and remediation of existing storage sites, improve the standardized operation and management of facilities, and gradually eliminate potential environmental hazards.

Fourth, we will refine the monitoring system. We will strengthen, in accordance with the law, automated monitoring at key solid waste treatment facilities and by key enterprises; advance real-time, end-to-end tracking of hazardous waste; and encourage enterprises to upgrade and retrofit their digital and intelligent monitoring equipment. By leveraging digital and intelligent technologies, we will establish a “keen eye” for overseeing solid waste management across vast distances.

Fifth, strengthen law enforcement and oversight. The focus is on rigorously cracking down on environmental violations and crimes involving solid waste, continuously carrying out “waste-clearing campaigns” in key regions, and incorporating prominent ecological and environmental issues—such as illegal or non‑compliant handling of solid waste—into ecological and environmental protection inspections. By enforcing compliance through robust oversight, we will hold enterprises and local governments accountable and reinforce the legal framework for preventing and controlling solid‑waste pollution.

The Action Plan calls for all regions and relevant departments, under the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, to implement it effectively in light of their specific circumstances. Local governments at all levels must earnestly assume primary responsibility, improve working mechanisms, refine goals and tasks, and ensure that measures are put into practice and yield tangible results. Relevant departments, in accordance with their respective duties, shall carry out key tasks and forge synergies in their work. Adhering to the principle of “the polluter pays,” they must hold entities responsible for solid waste pollution firmly accountable for prevention and control.

(Source: China Chemical News, January 5, 2026)