This report provides a detailed analysis of the economic and ecological feasibility of the plastic circular business model, aiming to provide effective solutions for the post-consumer plastic pollution control for China. The report delves into three key initiatives driving the construction of a circular ecosystem: policy incentives, information transparency, and the development of an evaluation system. The evaluation system is to assess and compare brands' performance in plastic circularity initiatives. This system not only offers companies a roadmap for action, helping them formulate strategies, set goals, and implement effective measures, but also encourages systematic participation in the construction of the plastic circular ecosystem. Through this report, we hope to provide both theoretical foundations and practical guidance for building a green, circular plastic ecosystem, contributing to the resolution of plastic pollution in China and globally.

The evaluation results show that leading cities continue to maintain high standards in waste sorting, with Suzhou and Shanghai scoring far ahead. Their standardized systems, based on the "14th Five-Year Plan" for the Development of Urban Domestic Waste Classification and Treatment Facilities, have withstood the test of time and are in stable operation. Several cities, having established waste sorting and disposal systems, have achieved basic waste sorting goals through secondary sorting. Among them, Beijing stands out as a representative, ranking third nationwide in total score.

In the first quarter of 2024, among the 361 cities (Including counties directly governed by provinces), there were 288 cities with excellent CWEI grades, accounting for 79.8%, 56 cities with average grades, accounting for 15.5%, and 16 cities with poor and very poor grades, accounting for 4.7%.

Compared to the same period last year, water quality in Q4 2023 remained largely stable. The proportion of cities with good water quality increased from 73.7% to 74.2%, while the percentage of cities with average quality decreased from 21.6% to 19.1%. The proportion of cities with poor quality rose from 3.0% to 5.0%, with cities rated very poor remaining at 1.7%.

Looking back at seven years of environmental protection facilities being open to the public, we see that this initiative has become an effective tool for resolving NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) conflicts and mitigating social risks. It fosters mutual understanding among various stakeholders through transparency, promotes collaborative governance, and ultimately achieves shared benefits.

In the third quarter of 2023, the national surface water quality remained largely unchanged compared to the previous year.

In the second quarter of 2023, among 361 cities (including provincial-level counties), 231 cities (64.0%) were rated as "good" on the water environment index, while 98 cities (27.1%) were rated as "average". The remaining 32 cities (8.9%) were rated as "poor" or "very poor". Compared to the same period in 2022, water quality slightly improved in the second quarter of 2023. However, when compared to the first quarter of 2023, there was a slight decline in water quality.