On 29 April 2021, a law against food waste was adopted at a session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. Among other things, the law stipulates that caterers can charge customers a disposal fee in cases where excessive amounts of food waste are left behind. In addition, the law also places new requirements on local governments to curb food waste. Namely, they are to inform the public about developments in their work against food waste on a yearly basis as well as propose further measures.
Accelerating the Establishment of a Waste Recycling System
The General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Waste Recycling System on 6 February 2024, which emphasize the importance of resource recycling and reuse. In this new policy, more quantitative targets are proposed, which provide clear indicators of policy implementation effectiveness. The new Opinions also expand the scope of waste categories to encompass agricultural waste and bulk solid waste, propose additional pathways for resource utilization and introduce the idea of ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’. In addition, the Opinions propose to integrate other countries’ relevant regulations and standards.
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