Shenzhen completed China's first carbon emission reduction transaction from milk carton recycling, according to a recent municipal press conference. The transaction highlights Shenzhen’s innovative integration of carbon markets with waste management efforts.

During the event, the Luohu District Little Drop Environmental Protection Center and the Futian District Zero-Carbon City Development Center signed the Shenzhen Milk Carton Recycling Carbon Credit Transaction Agreement. According to the agreement, the Little Drop Center transferred 1,232 tons of verified carbon emission reductions—generated through its “Shenzhen Campus Milk Carton Recycling Carbon Project”—to the Zero-Carbon City Development Center. This reduction stems from recycling approximately 763 tons of milk cartons in Shenzhen schools between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2024. 

Since the enactment of the Shenzhen Domestic Waste Classification Management Regulation on September 1, 2020, Shenzhen has made remarkable strides in waste classification. The city has reduced daily carbon emissions by approximately 3,527 tons. The recycling and resource utilization rate of domestic waste now stands at 48.9%. 

Milk cartons, categorized as low-value recyclables, posed a unique challenge due to their limited recycling value. To address this, Shenzhen launched a milk carton recycling initiative in schools in September 2021, combining waste classification with environmental education. 

On June 5, 2024, the Shenzhen Ecology and Environment Bureau introduced the Shenzhen Milk Carton Recycling Carbon Reduction Methodology. This methodology calculates that recycling one ton of milk cartons (composed of paper, plastic, and aluminum) reduces carbon emissions by approximately 1.6159 tons. 

Over the past three years, more than 1,800 schools in Shenzhen have participated in this program, collecting over 100 million milk cartons, with a total weight of approximately 935 tons. These cartons were transported to specialized facilities for recycling, forming a complete chain of collection, transportation, and processing. 

“Thanks to the persistent efforts of students and teachers in waste classification and recycling, milk cartons that would have been incinerated have been transformed into recycled paper and other products,” said Feng Zengjun, Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Urban Management and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau. He emphasized that this groundbreaking transaction sets a national precedent in personal waste classification-based carbon credit trading, providing valuable insights for future efforts in food waste disposal, old furniture recycling, and other carbon-benefit projects in waste management.