Structural features of global recycling trade networks and dynamic evolution patterns

Pu, Ying; Wu, Gang; Tang, Biyan; Xu, Lin; Wang, Bo

doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104445

Cited by 23 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…It is a new start and possibility for the structure of the domestic waste management system thanks to the involvement of the Internet and big data. Whilst some information has been derived from structural changes of the global waste trade network (Wang et al, 2020 ) (Pu et al, 2019 ; Tran et al, 2021 ), and mechanisms of response (Tan et al, 2018 ), ‘Big data’ application for the waste management systems could be a potential bright path for the transition of domestic companies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The waste ban in China: what happened next? Assessing the impact of new policies on the waste management sector in China

Song

McLellan

Liu³

et al. 2021

Environ Geochem Health

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The 2017 ban on the waste import and new policies for the waste management sector in mainland China had wide-spread impact. After decades of poor environmental and public health impacts from the sector, a study is needed which focuses on policies updates and waste management. This provides a direction for the survival of local waste management industries and consider similarities with the ban promulgated in China on the restriction of waste import from other countries. We review the waste management situation in China before national legislation prevented the import of waste, highlight the status of landfill mining in China, and review the dynamics of domestic policies before and after the promulgation of the ban in China. The impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the waste management system is starting to emerge, providing both challenges and opportunities for the sector in China. We see the impact of the ban on the range of imported waste and domestically generated materials. The ban results in price increases for domestic recycling that forces companies to introduce more formal recycling processes and to drive the consumption behaviours to more reasonable and environmentally friendly options. The driver in China is to reduce pollution in the environment and improve health, but a negative impact has been from increased landfill mining which has impeded the original aim of the waste ban and requires further technological development. The dynamic of domestic policies in China shows higher level of activity of updates and revisions or introduction of new policies from 2015 onwards and the concept of ‘zero waste cities’ brings new hope for improvement of the Chinese waste management system. The pandemic also suggests an important step to establish sustainable management systems despite evidence of increased “fly-tipping”. The rebound of the waste ban may have stimulated in the short term negative impacts on local environments both in China and internationally.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The waste ban in China: what happened next? Assessing the impact of new policies on the waste management sector in China

Song

McLellan

Liu³

et al. 2021

Environ Geochem Health

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“…Aguilar-Hernandez et al (2021) [30] use MRIO to assess the potential impacts on gross domestic product, employment, and carbon emissions of implementing a circular economy. Similarly, Pu et al (2019) [31] map the structural features and their evolutionary patterns of global recycling trade networks.…”

Section: Aim Of the Review And The Formulation Of Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circular Economy and International Trade: a Systematic Literature Review

Barrie

Schröder

2021

Circ.Econ.Sust.

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“…The ban had an immediate effect on the global structure of post-consumer plastics flows (Pu et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2019); it reduced China's share in the import of plastics waste exported by G7 countries from 60% during the first half of 2017 to less than 10% during the same period a year later. The volume of plastic waste exports from G7 countries fell by 20% on average from 2017 to 2018 (Hook and Reed, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-cycle environmental implications of China’s ban on post-consumer plastics import

Ren

Shi

Bardow

et al. 2020

Resources, Conservation and Recycling

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China used to receive more than 50% of the global post-consumer plastics export, the largest share of which was PET bottles. However, China recently banned the import of foreign wastes including waste plastics. The original intention of this ban was to protect China's ecosystem quality and human health, while its environmental implications have yet to be examined. This study analyzes the life-cycle environmental impacts of this ban on post-consumer PET under a number of post-ban scenarios. Our analysis shows that the ban may substantially exacerbate environmental impacts both in China and globally, if China, in the absence of imported recyclates, increases its virgin PET fiber production using carbon-intensive coal as the feedstock. Recycling waste PET bottles within the countries that generate them to replace China's virgin PET fiber production, however, is shown to significantly reduce lifecycle environmental impacts both in China and globally. Our study highlights the potential unintended environmental consequences of the ban and the need to consider marginal technologies and their consequences in policy decisions. Our results call for cost-effective recycling infrastructure among the waste-producing countries and the mechanism to coordinate plastics recycling on a global scale.

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Structural features of global recycling trade networks and dynamic evolution patterns

Cited by 23 publications

References 45 publications

The waste ban in China: what happened next? Assessing the impact of new policies on the waste management sector in China

The waste ban in China: what happened next? Assessing the impact of new policies on the waste management sector in China

Circular Economy and International Trade: a Systematic Literature Review

Life-cycle environmental implications of China’s ban on post-consumer plastics import

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