A 5-meter-long bench, which is made from 160,000 recycled boxes of milk, is seen at a park on August 25, 2021 in Shanghai, China. Photo Credit: VCG/Getty Images
Environment ChinaMajor recycling reforms move this city closer to its zero-waste goal
China’s Shanghai is advancing toward becoming a zero-waste city through expanded recycling, strengthened waste regulations, and investment in circular-economy technologies.
Seven years after introducing mandatory household waste sorting, Shanghai has increased its household recycling rate from 35% to 45.3%, supported by new waste management legislation and upgraded environmental systems across the city.
Municipal authorities recently released Shanghai’s first zero-waste index, which scored the city 86.96 out of 100 across categories including household, industrial, medical, hazardous, and construction waste. Officials said the progress reflects improvements in industrial efficiency, modern waste treatment, community-level governance, and the adoption of greener habits among residents in the city of 25 million people.
