Possibilities of utilizing polyethene terephthalate (PET) bottle deposit-refund system in China

Abstract

To shed light on the potentials and possibilities of domestic Polyethene terephthalate (PET) bottle waste recycling and collection in China, this paper studied the DRS used in developed countries and explored the status quo of the challenges and needs in China. The pros and cons of utilizing a DRS have been analysed. The results show that the success factors to increase the PET bottle recycling rate lies on the following aspects: the strict legislation concerning tax regulations on beverage producer’s responsibilities; the awareness of consumers to return the deposit packages and also well-educated to form habits on return; the correct deposit values and broad coverage of deposit packages to promote the citizens to join the recycling process; and the well-functioning reverse vending machines, convenient collection points and wide collection network. The dual-flow scenario of DRS shows the strong advantages of the social benefits especially concerning the scavengers, and the collection and the rate of return can be increased by the formal recycling system. The main conclusion is that DRS is an urgent need in China to formally recycle PET bottles and increase the recycling rate. The adaptation needs to be further considered, such as utilize the unique resource of scavengers and assign a governmental organization of DRS administrator and operator. From the case study in Beijing, we can see many potentials and grounds to utilize DRS in future market. This study provides a good understanding of the sustainable chain for PET bottle recycling in China, which can reduce the environmental impacts, and improve the social well-being of health and safety.