Taizhou's 'Blue Circle' turns marine waste into economic value

Fishermen from Dachen Island set out on a boat to collect the plastic waste in the sea. [Photo provided by Liu Xingchen]

On Dachen Island, 52 kilometers from downtown Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, the sound of waves accompanies locals collecting plastic bottles washed up on shore.

Among them is 61-year-old fisherman Huang Haibin, who now manages a recycling station and helps clear marine litter thanks to the "Blue Circle" project.

Launched in 2020, the project was designed to tackle the challenges of collecting, disposing and supervising marine plastic. It combines government guidance, enterprise participation, industrial cooperation, and public involvement. In October 2023, it received the United Nations' highest environmental honor: the Champions of the Earth award.

The model offers high-priced recycling and public service positions to motivate residents. Collected plastics are transported to standardized collection points, where they are sorted, compressed, weighed, and digitally recorded for traceable monitoring. With international certification, recycled products gain access to high-value markets, achieving price premiums of up to 40 percent.

As of July, the model had collected 58,800 metric tons of marine waste, mostly discarded fishing gear, across 25 regions of Zhejiang, helping cut carbon emissions by about 12,500 metric tons. By transforming discarded plastics into certified recycled products, Taizhou is offering a sustainable solution for global marine governance.