Turning bottles into scarves -- China's latest efforts to address marine plastic waste

GUANGZHOU, July 15 (Xinhua) -- An unlikely item took center stage at a recent press conference on China's achievements in environment protection and bay construction: A silky scarf.

The scarf is the result of an investigation into how to solve the problem of microplastics in the world's oceans and seas. The scarf's material was made from three discarded plastic bottles collected from a beach in south China's Guangdong Province, which, according to Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Guo Fang, if left in the sea, would have slowly decomposed into microplastics, endangering marine life.

Nansha New Area in the provincial capital of Guangzhou has a coastline stretching 106.73 kilometers. This is where the idea of "turning bottles into scarves" was born.

To protect and restore a natural mangrove forest covering about 45 mu (3 hectares) in the area, Guangzhou Ocean Carbon Peak & Carbon Neutrality Research Association has led a voluntary activity to collect plastic bottles washed ashore.

"The root system of mangroves is very developed, and plastic bottles, glass bottles, straws, etc. are very easy to 'hide' in the roots of those trees, affecting their growth," said Du Yuyan, deputy secretary general of the association.

After each activity, volunteers were saddened by the sheer number of plastic bottles and bags they had collected. While their hardwork had cleared up the waters, they had uncovered a new problem; how to deal with the waste.

"We wanted to make this plastic waste into cultural and creative products, so that people can be reminded of the importance of protecting marine ecology in their daily use," said Ye Pan, secretary general of the association.

After many trials such as cups and ornaments, they settled on the silky scarves, which, they reasoned, were not only are convenient for carrying and giving away as gifts, but also can better convey the concept of environmental protection, Ye said.

The bottles are first processed into polyester particles, then melted and remade into threads, before being woven into environmentally friendly fabrics. The fabrics can be used to make clothes, bags and scarves.

In recent years, China has actively promoted marine environmental governance, with a focus on bay areas and plastic waste treatment.

In the coastal areas of east China's Zhejiang Province, with the help of a marine plastic waste management team, marine plastics have become a low-carbon and environmentally friendly raw material, and have proved popular with the international market. Moreover, profits go to those collecting ocean plastics.

According to Guo, China has introduced an action plan to focus on constructing over 110 beautiful bays, with 65 currently in the process of marine litter clean-up and plastic waste recycling.

"We aim to build all 283 bays across the country into beautiful bays by 2035," Guo said.