Inside the garage of Chongqing Hongxi Automobile Technology Co., Ltd, a worker is tearing down an old car. (Photo/CQNews)

Chongqing - Since 2022, Chongqing, one of China’s first pilot zero-waste cities, has been building a comprehensive circular economy system. The city recycles end-of-life vehicles, power batteries, and industrial waste while promoting waste prevention at the source.

According to the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, at a recycling rate exceeding 80%, the city recycled 23.17 million tons out of the over 28.18 million tons of general industrial solid waste generated in 2025.

At Chongqing Hongxi Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. in Tongnan District, doors, wheels, batteries, and engines are removed and sorted, while the remaining bodies are sent to the crushing line. Hydraulic shears cut and break them down into smaller fragments. Then, separation sequences are applied to recover copper, aluminum, and plastics.

“On the open market, a scrapped new energy vehicle typically sells for around 3,000 yuan (about 442 U.S. dollars),” said Vice General Manager Chen Yongyao. “Through parts reuse, battery cascade utilization, and precious metal recovery, we can usually double its overall value.”

The Tongnan base is expected to process 300,000 end-of-life vehicles and 20,000 tons of used power batteries annually within the next three years.  The project is expected to generate an annual comprehensive output value exceeding 15 billion yuan.

Other auto recycling projects are underway elsewhere in Chongqing. In Wanzhou District, Linhai Group Co., Ltd. uses low-temperature catalytic oxidation to treat industrial exhaust gases. The company states that this technology can increase the purification efficiency of organic exhaust gases to over 95% while reducing overall operational energy consumption.

Resource recovery of industrial solid waste is another key area. As an industrial hub, Chongqing is promoting the recycling and reuse of by-products such as coal ash, pharmaceutical residues, vinegar residue, and industrial wastewater, while also advancing zero-waste factories.

In Yunyang County, Yun Yang Salt Chemical Co., Ltd. utilizes coal ash and slag generated by boilers for cement production, while recycling excess water back to mining areas. In recent years, the company has invested over 10 million yuan annually to upgrade its processes, including ultra-low emission retrofits, automation upgrades, and the replacement of brine wells with more efficient models.

A company representative stated: “These upgrades reduced manufacturing costs by nearly 50 yuan per ton in 2025, while simultaneously cutting energy consumption and pollutant emissions. ”

Food manufacturing companies are also advancing waste reuse. Hengshun Chongqing Condiment Co., Ltd. has replaced traditional gas-fired boilers with steam generators. The company reported that gas consumption has decreased by approximately 30%. Vinegar lees generated during production are converted into organic fertilizer and animal feed.

Chongqing is also promoting material substitution at the source to reduce plastic waste. As a plant abundant in southwestern China, bamboo is being promoted to replace plastic. In Zhong County, Chongqing Rueijhu Plant Fiber Products Co., Ltd. uses bamboo to produce tableware and building materials. 

Wang Jianzhong, the company’s chairman, stated: “After processing, a single ordinary bamboo stalk can be converted into hundreds of products, replacing some single-use plastic items while simultaneously increasing the added value of bamboo.”

A complete bamboo industry chain has taken shape in the region. Zhong County has established a 500-mu (about 33.33 hectares) seedling nursery and over 100,000 mu of plantations.