Chongqing - Zheng Yanghua, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, unveiled an action plan for the city's ambitious "Zero Waste City" initiative on March 28, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste on March 30, .

By 2027, Chongqing plans to become a national leader in waste management, with the goal of achieving an 80% accuracy rate in urban household waste classification.

The beautiful rural landscape of Bishan District, Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau)

As part of this initiative, Chongqing will prioritize enhancing waste disposal, recycling, and utilization processes. By 2027, the city aims to achieve a comprehensive utilization rate of over 75% for bulk industrial solid waste, implement a zero-landfill incineration system for primary domestic waste, and establish 5,000 "Zero Waste Cells" in residential areas.

Chongqing began its "Zero Waste City" initiative in 2022, becoming the first in China to roll out such a program. It has also partnered with Sichuan Province to implement a co-construction plan under the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. This cross-regional effort aims to set a leadership example for zero-waste cities across China.

A key focus of the program is addressing specific challenges in waste management, such as the high volume of industrial solid waste, including phosphogypsum and red mud, whose utilization rates remain low. Chongqing is developing new standards for the disposal and pollution control of these materials to achieve a 70% utilization rate for phosphogypsum and a 25% rate for red mud by 2027.

The initiative also includes accelerating the construction of disposal facilities like standardized landfills and resource utilization centers for construction waste. By 2027, the city aims to raise the resource utilization rate of construction waste to 50%.

One of the cornerstone goals is to improve the city's domestic waste classification system. By 2027, Chongqing aims for 80% accuracy in urban domestic waste classification and a 45% recycling rate. This will be achieved through the optimization of classification and collection facilities.

The program also includes a pioneering pilot project for the inter-provincial transfer of solid waste, including hazardous waste, between Sichuan and Chongqing. This will enable the sharing of resources, collaborative emergency disposal, and improved waste management across both regions. Additionally, the program encourages the reduction of industrial solid waste within groups of companies through technological reforms, production line upgrades, and industrial chain extensions.

Chongqing's commitment to technological innovation in waste management is evident in its focus on emerging waste streams, such as power batteries, photovoltaic modules, and fan blades. The city is collaborating with enterprises and research institutions to develop automated intelligent dismantling and recycling technologies for these materials, with an eye toward industrial-scale applications.

Chongqing has already released over 60 typical case studies highlighting successful waste utilization projects. These include the Nanshan Botanical Garden, a "Zero Waste park" utilizing garden waste, and Jiangjin District's Luohuang Industrial Park, which transforms sludge into valuable resources. Other projects include initiatives to reduce disposable plastic usage in Beibei District's hotels and the promotion of bamboo-based products in Liangping and Zhongxian Districts.

This year, Chongqing will continue its dynamic collaboration with Sichuan to share successful cases and expand the impact of its waste-free initiatives across the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, further cementing its position as a sustainable urban waste management leader.