Phase 1 (2019-2023)
Phase 1 of SINOPLAST was a project to strengthen the capacity in the industry, government, and civil society sectors in China to reduce plastic waste and marine plastic pollution.
About the project
The full title of the project was Sino-Norwegian cooperation project on capacity building for reducing plastic and microplastic pollution (SINOPLAST).
The project was implemented by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) through the Basel Convention Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific in China. On the Norwegian side, NIVA was implementing partner and provided techincal support and guidance. The Norwegian Environmental Agency was also part of the project.
SINOPLAST worked with key small and medium enterprises to develop measures to reduce the production and release of plastic waste to the environment.
The project also developed a modelling tool to show the transport of plastic in river catchments. This tool uses locally gathered waste generation data as well as daily weather data to provide estimates of plastic pollution in various parts of the catchment at daily timesteps.
This model can therefore be a tool for improving catchment level management strategies to reduce the flow of plastic from land to sea.
In addition, several of the SINOPLAST participants in China have contributed to and/or taken part in the negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Completion of this treaty is scheduled for December 2024.
Through exchange and development of expertise, knowledge, and advice, SINOPLAST contributed to the implementation of national policies on plastic pollution. The project supported the development of China’s Zero-Waste City initiative, with case study sites in Sanya (Hainan) and Shenzhen (Guangdong).
Overall, the project raised awareness of plastic waste and pollution in China, and helped reduce the amount of plastic litter in selected catchments.
Main partners and sources of financing
The project was led by NIVA and the Basel Convention Center for Asia and Pacific in China.
Other partners included
- Norwegian Environment Agency (NEA),
- East China Normal University (ECNU),
- National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center under the MEE
- Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center under the MEE
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, East China Normal University
The project was funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The total funding was 26 mNOK.