Currently, more than 150 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) are produced annually from 688 cities in China, with an annual growth of 9%. Each city dweller now produces 440 kg of wastes a year. Solid waste in the country has piled up to a total of 10 billion tons, occupying nearly 800 million square meters of land. There has also been sharp increase on industrial waste, with 650 million tons produced each year.

Landfill, incineration and compost are the three main ways of disposing MSW in China, with Landfill being the most popular way. More than 85 per cent of the country's MSW are buried in rubbish plants after disposal. Less than 50% of the wastes are disposed of harmlessly, with 1% of the wastes being utilized. Many refuse plants around the country suffer from a lack of appropriate equipment and technology and still lack strict and efficient management.

Shanghai, being the best economically developed of China, has maintained an annual average growth of 5.1% in MSW over the past 10 years. In 2001, about 5.6 million tons of wastes were produced and figure is expected to jump to 6 million tons in 2002. The Municipal Government is imposing increasing importance on the scientific treatment of MSW. The reduction, utilization and harmless treatment of wastes are listed on top of the agenda in the China 21st Century -- Shanghai Action Plan. It is an important job for the science and technology, environmental protection and environmental sanitation departments to explore, research on and introduce related technology and equipment from overseas. Experts predict that in thse next 5 years that Shanghai alone will spend US $725 million on the imports of waste treatment and management equipment. Nationwide, the investment will be as much as US $10.8 billion to fulfill the target of treating 65% of the country's MSW in a harmless way by 2005.