China's Hangzhou among UN's top 20 zero-waste cities globally

HANGZHOU -- Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, has been selected as one of the "20 Cities Towards Zero Waste" under the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste, according to the Hangzhou Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.

In a letter, the board said that Hangzhou's submission stood out for its strong commitment to zero-waste and its contributions to advancing inclusive, sustainable, and innovative waste management solutions.

With an annual economic output exceeding 2 trillion yuan (about $284.91 billion) and a population of over 12.6 million, Hangzhou has effectively implemented comprehensive solid waste management and resource utilization measures.

From 2021 to 2024, the volume of municipal solid waste generated in Hangzhou continued to decline, with daily waste generation per capita dropping from 1.06 kg to 0.99 kg.

The achievements are based on Hangzhou's systemic integration of "digital intelligence" into waste classification and resource utilization. Hangzhou's smart waste management platform connects in real time to 7,361 waste collection points, 1,780 waste transport vehicles, nine waste incineration plants and 11 food waste treatment facilities across the city.

The letter also noted that Hangzhou's case will be published and officially launched in the context of the International Day of Zero Waste on March 30 this year, and will be highlighted during the official commemorative events in both Nairobi and New York.

"It represents an endorsement of Hangzhou's sustained, years-long efforts to build a zero-waste city and to explore the integration of digitalization and the circular economy," said Gao Yiliang, an official with the Hangzhou Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.