China is running out of garbage. Now they want to burn their neighbors'.

Summary

Over the past decade, China has transformed from being overwhelmed by garbage to facing a shortage of it. The country tackled its waste crisis with innovations like waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, incinerating trash to generate electricity. These plants are highly efficient, and by 2020, half of China’s waste was incinerated, producing significant power. With excess capacity in these plants, China now leads the world in WTE technology and is expanding to foreign markets, such as Kazakhstan and Vietnam. This shift has not only solved domestic waste challenges but is positioning China as a global leader in waste management.

Takeaways

• 😀 China went from struggling with excessive waste to having a shortage of garbage in just a decade.
• 😀 The Jang Tsun Gao landfill, built in 1994, was expected to last 50 years but closed in 30 due to overwhelming waste.
• 😀 In 2017, China generated 215 million tons of residential waste, a number that contributed to landfills reaching capacity.
• 😀 The Chinese government responded to the waste crisis by requiring waste sorting and banning foreign waste imports.
• 😀 By 2020, more than half of China's waste was incinerated rather than sent to landfills.
• 😀 78% of China’s waste is now burned to create electricity, with only 13% going to landfills.
• 😀 China has state-of-the-art waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, like the one in Shenzhen, which burn 5,000 tons of waste per day to generate electricity.
• 😀 As of 2021, China’s WTE plants have excess capacity, with some plants idled due to a shortage of waste to process.
• 😀 China now leads the world in WTE technology, dominating the market due to its ability to produce equipment at a lower cost and higher quality than anyone else.
• 😀 China is expanding its WTE technology exports, with $600 million worth of plants planned for Kazakhstan and other countries facing similar waste management problems.
• 😀 Countries like Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Kyrgyzstan are seeking to adopt China's WTE technology, recognizing the massive waste problems they face due to their growing populations.

Q & A

What caused China to transition from a garbage problem to a garbage shortage?

China initially faced a massive garbage problem, with landfills overburdened by waste. However, through effective waste sorting, banning of trash imports, and investment in waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerators, China managed to reduce its reliance on landfills. As a result, the country now has excess waste incineration capacity, leading to an unexpected shortage of garbage.

How did the Jang Tsun, Gao landfill's capacity exceed expectations?

The Jang Tsun, Gao landfill was expected to last 50 years, but it had to close after just 30 years due to a significant increase in waste. The incoming trash volume grew 10 times over 25 years, leading the landfill to handle four times more waste than originally designed, eventually filling up and needing to shut down.

What was China's waste generation rate in 2017, and how did it impact the country's waste management systems?

In 2017, China produced 215 million tons of trash from urban households. This massive amount of waste led to the need for better waste management systems, prompting the government to require waste sorting and ban the import of trash. Incineration plants were introduced to handle the growing waste more efficiently.

What role do waste-to-energy (WTE) plants play in China's waste management?

WTE plants in China burn waste to generate electricity. By 2020, over half of China's waste was sent to incinerators instead of landfills. These plants are highly efficient, generating substantial amounts of electricity while reducing landfill usage. Currently, 78% of China's waste is incinerated, with WTE plants playing a key role in the country's energy production.

How much electricity is generated from burning a ton of household waste in China?

Each ton of household waste burned in China generates approximately 350 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. This means that the waste from five households can generate enough electricity to meet the needs of one household.

What is the current situation regarding China's waste incineration capacity?

China's waste incineration capacity has surpassed the nation's waste generation rate. As of 2021, there is about 70 million tons of excess capacity for waste incineration, leading to some incinerators being idled. Despite high operational efficiency, over 100 plants were offline for more than six months due to insufficient waste supply.

Why are waste-to-energy plants becoming a popular export for China?

China dominates the waste-to-energy (WTE) market due to its experience solving its own massive waste problem. Chinese firms now lead in building WTE plants at lower costs and higher quality than competitors. With a saturated domestic market, these firms are expanding into international markets, particularly in Central Asia and South Asia, where countries are facing similar waste management issues.

What makes China's WTE technology attractive to neighboring countries?

Chinese WTE technology is highly attractive due to its cost-effectiveness and high thermal efficiency. Chinese companies build plants at $250 per ton, making them a viable option for neighboring countries such as Kazakhstan, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, which face similar waste management challenges. The plants can help these countries transform waste into electricity, offering a sustainable solution.

What is the role of Chinese waste-to-energy technology in countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan?

Countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are dealing with large amounts of waste, similar to China's situation 20 years ago. By investing in Chinese-built WTE plants, these countries can convert waste into electricity, reducing landfill use and providing sustainable energy. These plants cost around $250 per ton, making them a viable solution for these countries' growing waste problems.

How is China using its expertise in waste management to expand its influence globally?

China is leveraging its success in solving its own waste management issues to dominate the global waste-to-energy (WTE) market. By providing affordable, high-quality WTE plants to countries in Central Asia and South Asia, China is not only addressing global waste challenges but also increasing its geopolitical and economic influence in these regions.