From traditional frugality to recycling powerhouse: China's green transformation

RESOURCE RECYCLING INDUSTRY SYSTEM

Historical records show that recycled paper first emerged during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in China. Waste paper pulp was repurposed into new paper, a process detailed in the Chinese scientific classic "The Exploitation of Nature's Works" ("Tian Gong Kai Wu") from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

More than 30 years ago in Tianjin, residents along the Ziya River began a "gold panning" business, going door to door to collect waste wires and discarded home appliances, which they dismantled in small family-run workshops.

However, nearly all of these workshops burned the waste to extract metal, releasing noxious gases that severely damaged the environment.

In 2003, the predecessor of the Tianjin Ziya Economic and Technological Development Area, the Tianjin Ziya Environmental Protection Industrial Park, was established, becoming one of the earliest and largest circular economy-focused industrial parks in northern China.

Today, the area features neatly built factory buildings, surrounded by lush greenery. Automated production lines enable precise and efficient dismantling, with factories operating almost entirely dust-free.

Tianjin Xinneng Renewable Resources Co., Ltd., located in this area, is capable of recycling and dismantling over 100 scrapped cars each day.

"A scrapped vehicle can yield 0.7 tonnes of scrap steel. Through precision dismantling of the engine, nearly 50 types of recyclable materials can be recovered," said Zhang Guiyu, general manager of the company, adding that the company collaborates with resource recycling firms nationwide, particularly in the areas of copper and aluminum.

According to China's plan for circular economy development during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period, by 2025, the resource recycling industry system will be established, with the output value reaching 5 trillion yuan (about $697.3 billion).

To promote the development of the recycling economy, China established a centrally administered State-owned enterprise, China Resources Recycling Group Co., Ltd., in October 2024 in Tianjin.

"We focus on resource recycling in traditional sectors such as scrap steel, electronic and electrical products, non-ferrous metals, plastics, and textiles, while also accelerating our efforts in emerging fields like scrap power batteries, retired new energy devices, and scrapped motor vehicle dismantling," said Liu Yu, chairman of the company.

Recently, the company launched a mobile phone safe recycling and disposal project in Tianjin and Shantou city, in South China's Guangdong province. Consumers can send their mobile phones to the company for secure recycling by mail or opt for door-to-door collection. This process not only ensures the protection of personal information but also enables the extraction of rare and precious metals.