HAIKOU /China/, August 4. /TASS/. The city of Sanya and four other key administrative units in China's Hainan Province are set to become zero-waste development models by 2030, the region's accumulated waste volume will significantly decrease or reach practically zero by then, Chen Yue, the deputy head of the region’s Ecology and Environment Department, said.
"The overall goal is for the four cities of regional significance in Hainan (the administrative center Haikou, the city of Sanya, the industrial city of Danzhou, and the cruise tourism center Sansha - TASS), as well as Changjiang Li Autonomous County (in west of the island), to develop in accordance with state requirements for the formation of 'zero-waste cities' and become a model for others to follow," he emphasized at a press conference.
According to the official, the process of establishing additional settlements that can swiftly and thoroughly dispose of waste in the province will be carried out systematically. As a result, he noted, the rate at which solid waste landfills increase in the region will gradually slow down.
Additionally, plans are in place to ensure the proper disposal of household, construction, and industrial waste, as well as reduce the amount of hazardous waste. According to Chen Yue, the authorities intend to promote the development of a green, low-carbon economy and "stimulate synergy in reducing carbon emissions and environmental pollution."
In turn, Chen Dafu, head of the Market System Development Division of the Hainan Commerce Department, said that the local administration plans to improve the system for collecting secondary raw materials and increase the level of their utilization, in particular by optimizing the network of sorting points. The province will also launch a large-scale "trade-in" campaign, a marketing strategy offering buyers discounts on goods such as mobile phones in exchange for returning their previously used devices to the seller. In addition, he noted that the authorities will help businesses process waste more efficiently, including through digital technology.
Chen Dafu also pointed out that Hainan intends to promote waste-free mechanisms by organizing large-scale product exhibitions where the use of recyclable materials exceeds 60%. He mentioned that fully recyclable stands were used at the China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou in 2024 and 2025.