As a renewable resource, waste plastics has become an important part of comprehensive utilization of resources, to improve the utilization of oil resources and reduce environmental pollution. Recently, according to this report from the China Plastics Processing Industry Association, China produced about 34.13 million tons of plastic waste, recycling amount reached over 2487.8 tons, accounting for about 30% of plastic consumption, equivalent to saving more than 4,000 tons of crude oil, has become important force in energy conservation.



Waste plastics recycling industry has grown into an indispensable resource for economic development based environmental protection industry. With the extensive use of plastic products, reasonable and safe disposal plastic waste has become an important scientific issues for environmental protection and resource conservation. 30 years of reform and opening up, Chinese plastics recycling industry have undergone tremendous changes from the recycling of the total employees size, sorting technological advances, processing equipment innovation, product applications, public awareness and other aspects.

"Whether it is the sustainable development of the plastics industry or reduce environmental pollution stress, recycling waste plastics plays a crucial role." China Plastics Processing Industry Association executive vice president Cao Jian said. At present, Chinese synthetic resin consumption reached 70 million tons, self-sufficiency rate is 73.8%, and the rest have to rely on imports, and the recycling of waste plastics can effectively alleviate the problem of insufficient supply of raw materials. Meanwhile, Chinese annual plastic waste reached 30 million tons, if not effectively recycled and thrown away, will bring pressure on the environment. In addition, good recycling of waste plastics, is equivalent to improve the efficiency of oil resource use, can alleviate the shortage of crude oil resources at a certain extent, has played a positive role in energy saving, emission reduction and recycling economic development. It is reported that since 2006, Chinese total recycling plastic waste is 1.2 million tons, is equivalent to saving 360 million tons of crude oil.

At present, China has become the world's largest waste plastics recycling country. In addition to five general-purpose plastics, polyester, there are also a lot of high performance, good quality engineering plastics such as nylon, polycarbonate, acrylic, POM, PVB (polyvinyl butyral resin) film, a fluorine plastic. After several years of development, waste plastics recycling industry has made considerable progress, application of new technology and development of new products are paid more and more attention, and gradually improve corporate environmental facilities, secondary pollution has been effectively controlled, scattered industry the difference between the situation has been greatly improved. Plastics recycling industry is developing a low-quality, high energy consumption in the direction of high-quality, low-power, multi-species, classification of fine, high-tech applications.

Meanwhile, the plastics recycling processing market gradually standardized management, industrial aggregation increased, large-scale development conditions maturing. Waste plastics recycling industry is toward large-scale, intensive, park in the direction of development, basically forming a pattern of utilization in plastics recycling and medium-sized enterprises as the main use of waste plastics-based professional trading market.

According to Cao Jian, at present China engaged in waste plastics processing enterprises reached more than 10,000, medium-sized enterprises are becoming the subject of waste plastics industry, its recycling amount is more than 40% of the total waste plastic regeneration amount. This part of the enterprises are located in the coastal developed areas of plastics processing, plastic waste has a relatively stable supply and sales channels, concentration of resources, higher profits, good economic returns, strong market competitiveness. Moreover, this part of the business classification of plastics technology and equipment more advanced production line, low cost, high efficiency, large-scale, centralized processing waste plastics, environmental protection facilities are more complete.

In recent years, a number of outstanding plastic waste recycling companies developed with advanced technology, and achieved good economic and social benefits in their respective segments. Shanghai INTCO Greenmax company recycled foam lunch boxes and styrofoam, the annual EPS recycling reached 50,000 tons. The company reuses waste plastic to produce frames products, they are very popular in overseas market demand.

At the same time, Chinese waste plastic recycling industry also exists the problems. To promote the healthy development of plastic waste recycling industry, it is necessary to further improve the relevant policies and regulations, tax system, and vigorously promote technological innovation and improve the efficiency of recycling and safe disposal level.