What is the current situation of garbage classification in China? What are the future trends?

1. Overview of Waste Classification

Since the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the National Development and Reform Commission and other 9 ministries and commissions issued documents in early June announcing that domestic waste classification will be fully launched in cities at the prefecture level and above nationwide starting in 2019, Garbage classification has gradually aroused heated discussions. On July 1, Shanghai officially entered the era of mandatory garbage classification, and garbage classification has undoubtedly become one of the hottest topics at present.

There is a very popular joke recently: Since the promotion of garbage classification, Shanghai citizens have to endure soul torture from the old aunt twice every day: "What kind of garbage is this?" Shanghai currently divides garbage into four categories Categories are recyclable waste, wet waste (food waste), hazardous waste and dry waste.

Shanghai garbage classification

Source: Compilation of public information

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics and OECD, my country’s domestic waste production has remained around 5% in recent years. With the growth, the national domestic waste removal volume reached 228 million tons in 2018. Currently, China has surpassed the United States and become the country that generates the most waste in the world. In the past, the volume of household waste cleared across the country has always been higher than the amount of harmless treatment. A large amount of urban household waste was piled directly without treatment. It is obviously necessary to classify waste.

China’s urban domestic waste removal volume from 2014 to 2018

Source: Compilation of public information

The entire waste classification chain can be divided into four stages, including: Classified release (resident level), classified collection (community level), classified transportation (clearance) and classified disposal (garbage disposal).

Related report: "2019-2025 China Waste Classification Industry Market Research Analysis and Investment Strategy Consulting Report" released by Huajing Industrial Research Institute

II. Current Status of the Waste Classification Industry

1. Garbage classification

Judging from the "entrepreneurship projects" that have been launched, "door-to-door garbage collection" is currently one of the most popular options. It is reported that online garbage collection apps in Shanghai are extremely popular at present. In some door-to-door recycling apps, the user growth rate has accelerated significantly, and the number of orders for door-to-door garbage collection has also gradually increased, and the repeat order rate is also very high. , an order is placed once every seven days on average. It is understood that in the six months since its launch, the online trash collection app has served more than 1.5 million users in Shanghai, 70% of whom are born in the 1980s. This is in sharp contrast to the traditional data that only elderly people participate in garbage collection.

Distribution of customer groups for online garbage collection in Shanghai in 2019

Data source: Compilation of public data

2. Garbage transportation

From the perspective of classified transportation, my country's sanitation truck production fluctuates significantly, but it is generally on an upward trend. my country's sanitation vehicle production increased from 33,200 vehicles in 2010 to 107,100 vehicles in 2018, with a compound growth rate of 15.8%. Affected by the garbage classification policy, it is expected that in the future, sanitation trucks will be subdivided into four types: hazardous waste removal trucks, recyclables removal trucks, wet waste removal trucks, and dry waste removal trucks, and output will continue to increase.

China's sanitation truck production statistics from 2010 to 2018

Data source: Compilation of public information

3. Garbage disposal

my country's harmless The chemical waste treatment capacity continues to increase, from 356.130 tons/day in 2009 to 679,889 tons/day in 2017, and the harmless treatment rate of domestic waste reached 97.7%.

Statistics on harmless treatment capacity of domestic waste in China from 2009 to 2017

Source: Compilation of public data

Although my country's waste treatment capacity continues to improve, The garbage classification and treatment system is still not perfect. The main ways to deal with garbage are landfill and incineration. In 2017, of the 210.342 million tons of domestic waste treated harmlessly, 120.376 million tons were landfilled, 84.633 million tons were incinerated, and 5.333 million tons were incinerated. processed in other ways.

Distribution of harmless treatment methods of urban domestic waste in China in 2017

Data source: Compilation of public information

3. Issues in the development of the waste classification industry

1. Residents have little awareness of garbage classification

In 2013, my country conducted a pilot project to force residents to put out garbage and classify it by themselves, guiding residents to consciously classify garbage and reducing the burden of cleaning and environmental protection personnel. work burden and promote the construction of environmental civilization in our country. However, only a small number of urban communities have done this. On the one hand, the government has not done enough to publicize this work. Many second- and third-tier cities and rural areas do not know how to classify garbage. Some communities only deal with it as a formality and do not know the specific garbage. There is no systematic classification standard for which category it belongs to, such as recyclable and non-recyclable, and it cannot be guaranteed that everyone can do it. On the other hand, residents have a weak awareness of garbage classification and recycling, and they resist implementing the government's measures. From a personal perspective, they feel that throwing garbage is too troublesome and thankless. Therefore, this is a manifestation of the general low overall quality of residents. The awareness of garbage classification and recycling is weak, and the harm it brings to life and the environment is not taken seriously.

2. Lack of a complete and effective classification and recycling system

Although for garbage classification and recycling, the country promulgated the "Implementation Plan for Domestic Waste Classification System" in March 2017, taking the lead in Some areas have made garbage classification compulsory, and by 2020, the garbage recycling rate will reach more than 35% in a replicable and generalizable model. However, it is still not widely implemented because my country currently uses landfill or incineration methods to deal with garbage. This method is not only costly and pollutes the environment, but more seriously affects the soil and thus water quality.

IV. Future development trends and suggestions for the waste classification industry

1. Promote the development of related industries

Nowadays, the era of mandatory waste classification is coming, and its corresponding industries The fields of sanitation transfer, food waste disposal, and waste incineration in the chain are all expected to usher in investment opportunities, with about 160 billion yuan in new equipment purchase and installation construction space. Since wet garbage accounts for the largest proportion of garbage generated by residents, the current front-end classification and transfer system will help improve the efficiency of back-end processing and ensure the supply of raw materials. Relevant companies can use technology to turn kitchen waste into organic Fertilizer for profit. In addition, recyclable waste is also a segment worthy of attention. There are great opportunities in how it is sorted and processed for recycling, and how it is processed downstream of the industry.

2. Marketization and industrialization of garbage recycling

Relevant government functional departments must change traditional management ideas and concepts, integrate the power of private capital, and integrate the power of market operations. Municipal waste is increasing every year. If it is not handled well, it will be a serious environmental burden. If it is handled well, it will be converted into a resource. The government's correct guidance of social funds and the introduction of corresponding support policies will help the garbage recycling market develop toward a standardized business model and help form a complete industrial chain for garbage classification and processing.