ABSTRACT
In 2014, the world's biggest waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator began to operate on the site of a deserted lime quarry in the Mengtougou District of Beijing. The Lujiashan incinerator highlights many issues related to municipal solid waste (MSW) management in contemporary China. Urbanization, population growth, and growing affluence are the main drivers behind the dramatic increase of MSW in China. This chapter provides an overview of recent developments concerning China's MSW situation. It also provides an overview of the legislative and administrative framework for waste management. The chapter examines recent shifts in waste treatment techniques, in particular the transition from landfill to incineration. It then focuses on some of the environmental impacts of the country's waste challenge by looking at the regulation of landfills and incinerators, before concluding. The chapter includes everyday garbage such as kitchen waste (which makes up over half of China's MSW stream), paper, plastics, glass, metal and items such as batteries and discarded household appliances.
