Estimating the quantities and compositions of household plastic packaging waste in China by integrating large-sample questionnaires and lab-test methods

For mitigating plastic pollution in China, it is essential to grasp the profiles of plastic packaging waste (PPW), but current data is insufficient. An innovative approach integrating large-sample questionnaires and experimental tests was developed to gather new datasets including seven PPW categories. In total, 10,375 valid questionnaires including PPW types, sizes, and quantities were collected; moreover, 114 samples were tested in labs to determine the per-item weight. Pearson correlations between plastic packaging use and income were analyzed for upscaling questionnaire data to provincial profiles. It was found that PPW quantities varied between 8539.1 and 18,607.5 g/cap.yr, with significantly higher generation intensities in cities compared to rural areas. The food takeaway sector generated the largest amount of PPW. Spatial coverage was still limited for a national-wide estimation, which warrants further research expanding the survey in provinces and rural areas. Hotspots and strategies for improving household PPW management were also proposed.