Plastics pollution set to be on the agenda during PM’s China visit

The Prime Minister has arrived in China for a three-day visit during which she is expected to discuss China’s approach to plastics pollution. 

As part of her tour, Theresa May will visit Wuhan, where she will observe a project underway to clear the Yangtze River of plastics waste. 

A study published in the Nature Communications journal last year by researchers at The Ocean Cleanup found that the Yangtze, the world’s third longest river, is the “largest contributor” of the 20 most polluting waterways, with some 330,000 tonnes of plastic being dumped into the East China Sea. 

China has long struggled with its ability to process and deal with the rising amounts of waste created by both a growing population, as well as that imported from countries such as the UK. This has led to the recent enforcements banning the export of certain waste plastics from overseas. 

It is thought that the Prime Minister will discuss the need to prevent plastics entering the oceans as part of discussions on the environment. 

Trade relations and Export 

Ms May will also aim to intensify trade relations with the country, as the UK looks to increase exports to China from the 4.4 percent of the current total. 

Upcoming international plastics trade event, Chinaplas, is often a way of UK companies to establish and build on their business relationship with China. During the last event in 2017, the British Plastics Federation hosted its largest ever UK pavilion to date. It will return again in 2018, where, due to growing popularity, the show will move to the larger National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Hongqiao, Shanghai. 

Commenting, Stephen Hunt, Membership Services Director, said it was a one of the BPF’s “key roles” to ensure the British pavilion is highly visible amongst the many stands and it is “dedicated to maximising the impact that British companies have at the show.”  

The BPF produces a ‘Best of British’ guide for Chinaplas, available in English and Mandarin, to give further visibility to the companies exhibiting and the range of specialist services on offer.