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A high resolution gridded dataset for takeaway packaging waste in China
Pingda Lu1, Ya Zhou2, Qiuli Liu1
1Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
The takeaway industry generates significant packaging waste. This study provides a high-resolution dataset identifying hotspots, crucial for targeted waste reduction strategies and China's "Zero-waste City" program.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Waste Management
- Spatial Analysis
Background:
- The rapid expansion of the takeaway industry has led to a substantial increase in takeaway packaging waste (TPW).
- Existing research on TPW environmental impacts is often at regional or city levels, limiting localized policy development.
- There is a need for granular data to understand and manage TPW effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-resolution gridded dataset for estimating annual takeaway packaging waste (TPW) in China.
- To identify spatial patterns and hotspots of TPW generation at a 1 km x 1 km grid scale.
- To provide data supporting localized policymaking and waste management strategies.
Main Methods:
- Creation of a high-resolution (1 km x 1 km) gridded dataset for China.
- Estimation of TPW considering seven packaging categories and their usage probabilities.
- Spatial distribution of TPW based on the geographic scope of takeaway delivery services.
Main Results:
- A total of 366.66 kilotons of TPW were generated in China in 2018.
- The top 10% of grids contributed 64% of the total national TPW.
- TPW hotspots are predominantly situated in commercial and residential zones.
Conclusions:
- The high-resolution TPW dataset offers critical insights for localized waste management.
- Identifying TPW hotspots facilitates targeted interventions for waste reduction.
- This data can support China's "Zero-waste City" initiative by informing strategies to reduce municipal solid waste.
