ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research is to study the changes in the market structure of China's pulp and paper product imports. In particular, the import trade environment and market layout of Chinese pulp and paper products have changed under the international context of the coronavirus pandemic and the Sino-US trade dispute and the domestic policy context of zero imports of Chinese waste paper. This study attempts to fill the gap regarding the influencing factors of market structure, while contributing new ideas on China's trade in pulp and paper products. Based on pulp and paper product import and export trade data from 2005 to 2021, a trade gravity model was used to explore the changes in the share of China's trade partners for pulp and paper product imports and their influencing factors. The results indicated that the outbreak of COVID-19 led to a significant increase in China's imports of packaging paper products, bringing about an increase in Indonesia's status as a partner in China's pulp and paper product trade. The US-China trade dispute had an impact on pulp and paper product trade between the two countries, with China's tax countermeasures causing the US to lose its status as a trading partner in China for pulp and paper product imports. The center of gravity for paper product imports has moved from the US and Japan to Indonesia and Russia. The restrictions on waste paper imports have shifted the focus of China's paper raw material imports, with the US no longer being the main importer of China's paper raw materials. Specifically, the main importers of wood pulp are Brazil and Chile, while the main importers of waste paper pulp are Thailand and Malaysia. In the future, China needs to continuously strengthen dialogue with the United States to resolve trade disputes and create a favorable environment for trade in pulp and paper products. At the same time, China's paper enterprises should strengthen the expansion of the Southeast Asian market and reduce dependence on the US market, and China should continue to improve the waste paper recycling system and improve the utilization rate of domestic waste paper.
ABSTRACT
Domestic solid waste management and recycling have been a continuous effort for local authorities. However, recycling activities are still participatory practices in Malaysia. To date, there is no specific law that enforces urban residents to recycle their solid waste. Therefore, this study is intended to investigate recycling facilities (a mechanism) and the urban household’s behaviour towards recycling in Selangor. Shah Alam was selected as the Case Study using six (6) administrative sections (Seksyen 2, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11) comprising of landed and high-rise housing schemes as the study areas. Research methods included Site Observation, Questionnaire Survey and a Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The questionnaire survey employed the Convenient Random Sampling technique owing to the new norm of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results demonstrated significant differences in households’ behaviour for residents living in landed properties compared to the high-rise households. The residents are more inclined to recycle when the recycling facilities are closer to their vicinity. This relates very much to the facilities and recycling program delivered by the city council for areas with landed houses and apartments. The study suggested an improvement in domestic solid waste management through proposals put forward by the FGD participants, including the creation of recycling software Applications, enhanced policies and strategies for recycling and further educate the public on the importance of protecting their environment through recycling. The outcome of this study may be a reference to the authority and waste operators in improving their practice for the benefit of Shah Alam’s environment and public well-being.
ABSTRACT
Plastic waste (PW) is one of the most rapid-growing waste streams in municipal solid waste all over the world. India has become a global player in the plastic value chain. Despite low consumption, domestic generation and imports create a significant burden on the overall waste management system, which requires in-depth understanding of the scenario and pathways that can mitigate the crisis. Although Indian researchers have widely researched technology-related issues in academic papers, a substantial knowledge gap exists in understanding the problem’s depth and possible solutions. This review article focuses on current plastic production, consumption, and waste generation in India. This review article mainly analyzes data and information regarding Indian PW management and highlights some critical issues such as reverse supply chain, effective PW management, source-specific recovery, and PW rules in India. Comprehensively, this review will help to identify implementable strategies for policymakers and research opportunities for future researchers in holistic PW management and recycling in India, focusing on the circular economy and sustainable development goals.