Residents participate in the "Blue Circle" initiative, collecting marine plastic waste in Taizhou. [Photo/Tide News]

Originating from Taizhou in Zhejiang province, the "Blue Circle" model for managing marine plastic waste won the United Nations' Champions of the Earth award in 2023. This success has spurred the growth of marine plastic recycling industries in Taizhou, Ningbo, and other coastal regions, creating industrial clusters along the shoreline.

Leading the effort is Zhejiang VisionBlue Technology Co whose co-founder Chen Guanghui, explained, "Our model focuses on market-based waste collection, high-value resource utilization, and international certification and value addition."

By involving fishermen in plastic bottle retrieval and using blockchain for transparent tracking, the company calculates carbon footprints and secures international certifications, attracting eco-friendly enterprises at home and abroad willing to pay a premium for recycled plastics.

The Blue Circle model's replicability has been evident since 2024, spreading from the Yangtze River Delta to coastal provinces nationwide. By the end of last year, Zhejiang had implemented this model fully in coastal regions including Taizhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, and Zhoushan.

Challenges persist in ensuring sustainable business operations, leading to ongoing exploration of solutions.

To address limited plastic bottle recovery, VisionBlue is establishing a marine sustainable development industrial park, broadening its focus to include various marine plastic categories. The "Marine Plastic Blue Factory" of Taizhou Qiju Renewable Resources Co has installed four production lines and plans to boost the annual recycling capacity to 20,000 metric tons.

In exploring diversified operation models, a company in Ningbo has combined a marine plastic recycling station with a cafe. Visitors can exchange plastic bottles for "carbon credits" and coffee, as well as purchase daily necessities made from recycled plastics.