The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Ministry of Ecology and Environment 'Opinions on further strengthening plastic pollution control' were issued on 16 January 2020 and published on 19 January 2020. They set a phased programme with the first bans to apply by the end of 2020, so operative from 1 January 2021: non-degradable plastic bags banned in supermarkets, malls and food delivery in municipalities and provincial capitals, non-degradable single-use straws banned nationwide in food service, and production and sale of expanded polystyrene tableware, plastic cotton buds and microbead cosmetics banned. Further stages ran to the end of 2022 and the end of 2025, including bags nationwide, hotel amenities and courier packaging.
In August 2025 China published recommended national standards (GB/T 46020.1 and 46020.2) on designing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene plastics for recycling. The Consumer Goods Forum, an industry association of retailers and manufacturers, says the standards draw on its Golden Design Rules. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) Ecological Environment Code, reported to take effect on 15 August 2026, codifies restrictions on non-degradable bags and other single-use plastics with fines up to 100,000 yuan. Enforcement varies by province and biodegradable substitutes are often made from PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate), a plastic that breaks down when composted but not in rivers or the sea.
Status as at September 2026: in force with phased milestones through 2025 complete; the Code's effective date rests on media reports. Dates verified against the NDRC publication of the 2020 Opinions on 23 September 2026.