China counts the environmental cost of its construction boom, as 1.5 billion tonnes of waste created every year, report says
- Only 100 million tonnes are properly processed and even household rubbish gets more attention from local governments
- In comparison, developed nations like the US and Japan recycle between 90 and 95 per cent of their construction waste, magazine report says
Every year, construction, demolition and renovation projects produce more than 1.5 billion tonnes of waste, yet only 100 million tonnes can be properly processed through disposal or recycling, said China Comment, which is affiliated to Xinhua and overseen by the Communist Party’s propaganda department.
“There is going to be a concentration of construction waste problems in some cities. It is a pressing problem that must be tackled,” the report said.
In major urban centres like Beijing and Shanghai, construction activity produces up to 30 million tonnes of waste a year, while across the country the sector accounts for about 40 per cent of all urban waste, it said.
At the same time, more than 7,000 hectares of arable land are being damaged every year as a result of construction activity, it said.
