According to publicly available data, in 2019, 196 large and medium-sized cities generated 1.38 billion tons of general industrial solid waste, with a comprehensive utilization of 850 million tons, disposal of 310 million tons, storage of 360 million tons, and dumping and disposal of 42000 tons. The comprehensive utilization of general industrial solid waste accounts for 55.9% of the total utilization, disposal, and storage, and comprehensive utilization remains the main way to treat general industrial solid waste. The opinion emphasizes that during the 14th Five Year Plan period, the comprehensive utilization level of bulk solid waste will be continuously improved, the comprehensive utilization industry system will be perfected, and a technological innovation system for the comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste will be gradually established.
At present, the solid waste treatment industry has formed a relatively mature industrial chain. The upstream industry is the manufacturing of solid waste treatment equipment, mainly including solid waste incineration equipment, tail gas purification treatment equipment, dust removal equipment, kitchen waste treatment equipment, etc. The midstream industry can be divided into solid waste treatment engineering enterprises and solid waste treatment operation enterprises according to the company’s main business categories. The downstream industry is a derivative industry of solid waste disposal, mainly divided into solid waste burial, solid waste incineration, and resource regeneration.
Industry insiders say that promoting the comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste is of great significance in reducing resource consumption intensity and “reducing pollution and carbon emissions”, and is an important lever for leading the green development of the resource comprehensive utilization industry during the 14th Five Year Plan period. The zero growth of industrial solid waste storage and disposal requires higher requirements for comprehensive utilization technology, and building material or filling utilization remains the main way out for resource utilization.
In terms of hazardous waste disposal, efforts to manage hazardous waste continue to increase, and the market is gradually returning to rationality. The amount of hazardous waste resource treatment in China is expected to reach 50.587 million tons by 2025, and the related market space is expected to exceed 500 billion yuan. However, the mismatch of regional production capacity still exists, and the optimization of hazardous waste disposal capacity will be a key development focus in the subdivision field of hazardous waste treatment during the 14th Five Year Plan period.
Overall, the development prospects of China’s solid waste treatment industry in the next five years are very promising. The vast market development space is bound to attract solid waste disposal enterprises to enter on a large scale. To avoid the phenomenon of “bad money driving out good money”, a more comprehensive regulatory system and advanced disposal technology are needed, and technological barriers accelerate the industry’s “survival of the fittest”.
Taking the subdivision of hazardous waste disposal as an example, the hazardous waste disposal industry has a dispersed pattern, and small disposal enterprises are the main force in the market. However, due to the wide variety of hazardous waste types and different treatment and disposal technologies, the industry has a high technical threshold. Small disposal enterprises face challenges such as technological upgrades and are caught in a dilemma of elimination or acquisition. Under strong supervision, the field of solid waste treatment is bound to present a healthy competitive trend of “diverse and flourishing” in the future.
