Dow: Connecting Key Nodes to Accelerate China’s Circularity

Transitioning to greener growth and using resources more efficiently are central to China’s pursuit of high-quality economic development. The proposed 15th Five-Year Plan reiterates better waste sorting and resource recycling while actively promoting circularity—offering a clear roadmap for the country’s future direction.

Within this green transition, plastic waste recycling plays a key role. According to China Recycled Plastics Industry Development Report, about 62 million metric tons of plastic waste were generated in China in 2024, of which 19.5 million metric tons were recycled—a rate of 31%. China has built one of the world’s most extensive plastic recycling systems and leads globally in both collection volumes and output of recycled plastics.