From the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 to the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the basic framework for the global response to climate change has been established. Recently, carbon peak and carbon neutrality have been written into the 14th Five-Year Plan for the first time: the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Circular Economy" (Fa Gai Huan Zi 2021 No. 969) on July 1, 2021, during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's macro economy has entered a new stage of development, "based on the new stage of development, implementing the new development concept, and building a new development pattern" will become the main tone of the new development stage, and high-quality development will become the main theme of the new development stage. Scientific and technological innovation and low-carbon and green development will become the main driving force in the new development stage.
Under the trend of global carbon emission reduction, China's dual carbon goal demonstrates the responsibility of a major country. As an important part of the recycling field, recycled plastics have also attracted a lot of attention driven by the dual carbon goals. The utilization of renewable resources is one of the important paths for carbon emission reduction, and at the same time, it has the synergistic benefits of pollutant emission reduction, which is undoubtedly an indispensable way to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality. How to make full use of the domestic market under the new pattern of "dual circulation", how to reasonably build a market-connected industrial chain, and how to cultivate new advantages in global market competition under the new development pattern are a major historical opportunity for China's recycled plastics industry to fully understand and need to seize.
China is the world's largest developing country, currently in the rapid development stage of industrialization and urbanization, rapid economic growth, large energy demand, coal-based energy system and high-carbon industrial structure, resulting in China's total carbon emissions and intensity at a high level. Looking at the implementation process of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in developed economies, China's task is very arduous. From carbon peak to carbon neutrality and net zero emissions, it will take about 60 years for EU economies, about 45 years for the United States, and China will peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. This means that China must take 30 years to complete the task that advanced economies have completed in 60 years, and the enormity of the task is self-evident.
Relevant data show that in 2020, the annual output of plastic products in China will be 760320,000 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 71%, still the world's largest producer and consumer of plastic, the waste of plastic also has a huge environmental impact. The rapid development of the plastics industry has also brought many problems. Due to the non-standard disposal of waste plastics and the lack of effective utilization technology, they have accumulated for a long time, causing serious environmental pollution. Tackling plastic waste pollution has become a global challenge, and major countries are taking measures to address it, researching and developing solutions. The "14th Five-Year Plan" also clearly proposes to "reduce carbon emission intensity, support qualified localities to take the lead in reaching the peak of carbon emissions, formulate an action plan for carbon emission peaking before 2030", "promote the reduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and soil pollution control, and strengthen the control of white pollution". This is an arduous and urgent strategic task, and the recycled plastics industry has the responsibility to take the lead in breaking through.
The key problems in the prevention and control of plastic pollution in China are mainly due to the lack of ideological understanding and weak awareness of prevention and control; Regulations, standards and policy measures are not adapted and perfect; the market for plastic products is chaotic and lacks effective regulation; The application of degradable alternative products faces difficulties and constraints; Waste plastics** and the utilization system is not perfect, etc.
So, for the recycled plastics industry, how to achieve a dual-carbon circular economy is a question worthy of our attention.
In the work of achieving the "dual carbon" goal, first of all, we must clarify the responsibility boundary of emission reduction work. The first step is to implement the carbon emissions in the production process, and to make the measurement methods, unified standards, and measurement methods scientific. Only on the basis of solid foundation work can we scientifically calculate the target of "carbon peaking". In the basic work, we can't just shout concepts, let alone slogans. In the process of establishing the "carbon peak" target, we should not only consider the current situation of CO2 emissions, but also leave room for future development. Second, it is necessary to accelerate the research and development and promotion of green processes for CO2 emission reduction. The recycling industry must rely on advanced green technology and advanced process technology to achieve CO2 emission reduction. Especially in the chain of industrial production, how to reduce CO2 emissions through green and advanced technology, how to separate and capture CO2 in the production process, and how to do a good job in the transportation and storage of CO2 all require process technology and technological means to solve. Third, it is very difficult to reduce CO2 emissions, and it is even more difficult to neutralize CO2.
In addition, in the process of green transformation and development, substantial breakthroughs should also be made in plastic pollution control and plastic recycling. In terms of plastic pollution control and plastic recycling, we must do a solid job in four aspects: first, research and development and search for advanced and practical technologies for plastic pollution control and plastic recycling, and select a number of advanced and applicable technologies that can be promoted and replicated from the physical methods, chemical methods and degradable methods of plastics; Second, in the selected technology, we should seriously organize a number of pilot and demonstration enterprises to promote; Third, on the basis of pilot and demonstration, some provinces and cities or large and medium-sized cities will be selected to carry out a larger range of promotion pilots; Fourth, it is necessary to formulate a roadmap and policy measures and suggestions for nationwide promotion, and form effective ways and means of plastic pollution control and plastic recycling with Chinese characteristics, technical level and advanced management methods.
Finally, from the first end of the recycled plastics industry to the market demand, we must do a good job in carbon reduction measures
* End: Accelerate the construction of the recycling system of recycled plastics, the "integration of two networks" between waste materials outlets and domestic waste sorting outlets, and actively promote the "Internet +** model, online and offline collaboration, and improve the integration ability of standardized enterprises to self-employed people. The amount of ports will be expanded, and the main body will also be gradually standardized.
*End: Improve the level of processing and utilization of renewable resources. Promote the large-scale, standardized and clean utilization of renewable resources, promote the agglomeration and development of renewable resources industry, and build a modern "urban mineral" base at a high level. Implement the standardized management of the utilization of renewable resources such as waste plastics, improve the level of industry standardization, and promote the agglomeration of resources to advantageous enterprises. Accelerate the establishment of a system for the promotion and use of renewable raw materials, expand the market application channels of renewable raw materials, and strengthen the ability of renewable resources to guarantee the supply of strategic mineral resources. This also further clarifies the idea of standardized and large-scale development of the recycled plastics industry, and is expected to tilt resources to high-quality enterprises in the future in the processing and utilization port, and it is foreseeable that the current recycled plastics industry will gradually change the current situation of "serious polarization, coexistence of large-scale enterprises and small single enterprises, and the lack of leading enterprises in large-scale high-quality enterprises".
Demand side: promote the high-quality development of the remanufacturing industry. Encourage enterprises to apply remanufactured products in the after-sales service system and fulfill the obligation to inform. Encourage further increase the proportion of renewable resources to replace primary resources. The introduction of this regulation is a major positive for the use of recycled products, and will gradually reverse the previous secret addition of recycled materials, and the shame of admitting that their products contain recycled materials. It has also been attributed to the change in the purpose of use, which used to be aimed at reducing costs, and now it is aimed at resource utilization and carbon reduction.
Special action for the whole chain of plastic pollution control: scientifically and reasonably promote the reduction of plastics and improve the utilization level of waste agricultural film. Strengthen the sorting and recycling of plastics. Strengthen policy interpretation, publicity and guidance, and create a good social atmosphere. This is also a further emphasis on the 2020 "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Control of Plastic Pollution".
To sum up, the development of circular economy is a wide-ranging and comprehensive system engineering, and the development of circular economy is a powerful starting point for achieving the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Achieving the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality requires fundamental changes in the way products are produced and used. It is important to reduce the emissions from the production process of the product, or "process emissions". As an indispensable part of it, waste plastics will be gradually guided by the "Planning" in all aspects of processing, utilization, etc., which is an important guarantee for achieving the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and will further contribute to the development of circular economy, improve resource use, directly reduce energy and resource consumption, and achieve the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. (*National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China).