Bamboo instead of plastic: China’s ongoing green transition

The world produced about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2024, worsening pollution, harming ecosystems, and contributing to climate change. To mark World Environment Day 2025 under the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution,” bamboo is being promoted as a sustainable alternative.

Bamboo is fast-growing, biodegradable, and absorbs more carbon than regular forests. China, which holds a major share of the world’s bamboo resources, is leading the shift with a national action plan to replace plastic with bamboo in everyday products. The bamboo industry in China was worth around $57.6 billion in 2022 and supports over 17 million jobs.

Cities like Yibin and Anji are replacing disposable plastic with bamboo-based products in hotels and manufacturing, while China also supports bamboo farming in Africa to aid poverty reduction. As a natural and scalable solution, bamboo shows strong potential in global efforts to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable development.

Credit : CGTN