Taizhou city promotes circular economy with key initiative

The city of Taizhou – in East China's Jiangsu province – is pushing hard to promote its circular economy, which repurposes and recycles previously junked used or obsolete resources in an eco-friendly economic growth strategy.

As part of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), a new development plan for China's circular economy was released in July 2021. It involves several initiatives – including incentivizing green product designs, recycling, remanufacturing and renewable resources.

Taizhou has responded by launching a comprehensive "Replace and Recycle" initiative – backed by the Implementation Plan for Large-Scale Equipment Upgrades and Consumer Goods Replacement issued in May.

The plan introduces four key actions – equipment upgrades, consumer goods replacement, recycling and standard improvements – aimed at boosting market vitality and consumer participation.

In May, Taizhou's home appliance replacement promotion month event was said to have achieved success, with government subsidies of up to 1,000 yuan ($137) per appliance and merchant discounts driving over 20 million yuan in sales. Retailers like Suning reported a 23 percent increase in home appliance sales, highlighting the initiative's impact.

The plan includes setting clear guidelines for valuing old appliances, ensuring transparency and fairness. Collected appliances are either resold or dismantled, with large appliances sent to designated dismantling facilities.

To further streamline the recycling process, Taizhou is developing a special plan for the recycling and reuse of resources.

The effort aims to enhance the efficiency of the "replace and recycle" model, promoting sustainable consumption and environmental protection.