Chinaplas 2019 to highlight circular economy
Nov 29, 2018
Chinaplas believes fostering a circular economy is a global consensus and is a major Chinese economic and social development strategy in achieving sustainable development.
In the past three editions of show, Chinaplas has boosted the significance of Industry 4.0 and will now highlight circular economy as the next big trend.
"It's going to be the 33rd edition of Chinaplas in 2019. Every time, it responds to the market demand and introduces new moves accordingly,” said Ada Leung, General Manager of Adsale Exhibition Services, organiser of Chinaplas.
"We've been aware of circular economy for some time. As early as 2011, we launched the 'Bioplastics Zone', introducing biodegradable plastics and bio-based plastics. We have also set up a 'Recycling Technology Zone' since 2016 in Shanghai. In the upcoming Chinaplas, circular economy will be promoted to a prime position, leading exhibitors and visitors to explore the enormous potential."
New trends
The exhibition will also be paying attention to new market trends and demands, such as new business opportunities that the ‘Belt and Road Initiative' has spawned in the plastics and rubber industries. As well as changes in the world economic situation, opportunities and challenges for plastics innovations resulting from the Sino-US trade debate.
In light of this, the organisation is striving to expand overseas markets, and has launched publicity in ASEAN countries and key countries along the 'Belt and Road Initiative', sending staff there to invite local associations and enterprises to visit Chinaplas.
The modelling of big brands has massive influence on the implementation of circular economy, with more and more businesses announcing their environmental protection policies of recycling.
Adidas sold one million pairs of running shoes made of ocean plastic waste, in 2017 and has plans to stop using new plastics by 2024, with only recycled plastics to be used as raw materials.
Large companies such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, Volvo, IKEA, Nike, and H&M have also announced plans to use recycled plastics.
Global recycling power
It is predicted that by 2025, China, one of the world's largest waste plastics recycling countries, will produce urban solid waste amounting to nearly a quarter of the world's total.
Therefore, by improving the recycling rate of waste plastics, the development of a circular economy can be greatly promoted.
According to statistics, waste plastics imported into China amounted to 7.3 million tons in 2016, worth $3.7 billion (approximately £2.8 billion, €3.2billion), accounting for 56 per cent of the world's total imports of waste plastics.
The core of circular economy is the efficient use and recycling of resources, and plastic waste recycling is an indispensable part.
In the past, the waste processing and recycling industry relied heavily on imports, lacking a complete recycling chain, while recycling rate and proportion of large-scale recycling are both low.
Chinaplas believes with the implementation of the ban, it is bound to intensify the shortage of raw materials, and the recycling system of renewable resources is in urgent need of change.
The entire chain of garbage classification, waste collection and treatment, recycling and reuse has yet to be fully established.
Supported by the government's policy, as well as "Internet of Things & smart recycling", technologies are being disseminated quickly.
Among intelligent waste separation and recycling enterprises, Xiaohuanggou Environmental Protection Technology is a rising star, realising the model of classified recycling of domestic garbage at the front-end, unified transportation in the middle, and centralised treatment at the back-end.
Huge Recycle, Lumao, iXiandou, Qianniao, Zhangyuhuishou, a group of enterprises in the recycling industry are also working on the front and back ends in recycling to improve efficiency through the internet.
The exhibition says with the handling of waste plastics transforming and adjusting rapidly there are ways to integrate the recycle environmental protection industry chain, to build and perfect China's renewable resource recycling system.
Also, to develop new types of renewable waste plastics, upgrade technology and equipment for the high-efficiency sorting, granulation, waste plastic pyrolysis.
The recycling of POM, PTFE, nylon (-6, -66), PVB, in addition to the traditional types of waste plastics such as PET, PC, PS, PP, PE, PVC, ABS, is gradually favoured by enterprises.
Seizing new opportunities
Chinaplas 2019 will see an upgrade to the Recycling Technology Zone, and a Plastics Recycling, Recovery & Sustainability Conference will be on the itinerary.
Steps to help facilitate mastery of advanced technology, promote technological innovation, and help the industry seize new opportunities is also an aim of Chinaplas 2019.
The entire industry chain, from policies and regulations, recycling technologies to back-end innovative applications, will be analysed by experts in the industry.
Chinaplas 2019 will return to the China Import and Export Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, from 21st-24th May, 2019.
An estimated total of more than 3,400 industrial leaders from around the world will be showcasing their products and solutions to at least 180,000 professional visitors from 150 countries and regions.
Source: EPPM