Taizhou to enforce marine plastic waste regulation from Oct 1

A resident collects plastic waste along the beach. [Photo/Tide News]

Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province will begin enforcing the Regulation on the Control of Marine Plastic Waste of Taizhou from Oct 1, marking China's first local regulation dedicated to this issue.

The regulation builds on Taizhou's other initiatives, such as "Blue Circle", which won the United Nations' highest environmental honor: the Champions of the Earth award. Codifying the Blue Circle model into law will help solidify effective practices, address challenges, and create a sustainable framework for marine plastic management.

Unlike traditional approaches that only treat marine waste at sea, this regulation shifts its focus to land-based sources, recognizing that more than 80 percent of plastic waste originates on land. It outlines responsibilities for recycling, production, sales, and consumption, while also targeting cleanup in estuaries, seawalls, sluices, ports, coastal tourist areas, and vessels. The primary goal is to cut off pathways through which waste enters the ocean.

The regulation also addresses fishing-related plastic waste. Measures include establishing subsidies or market-based mechanisms for recycling aquaculture materials, creating systems for the centralized disposal of farming by-products, and launching trials of deposit-refund schemes. The regulation encourages the recycling of different types of fishing nets through processes such as sorting, cleaning, crushing, and pelletizing, allowing them to re-enter industrial circulation.

By covering the entire process from land to sea, the regulation aims to improve marine environment protection and promote a circular economy.