To fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions, to advance the comprehensive management of plastic pollution across the entire supply chain, and to accelerate the development of the “bamboo-for-plastic” industry in our province, the following policy measures are hereby established.

I. Promoting Industrial Cluster Development

(1) Establish Bamboo Industry Clusters. Continuously promote the high-quality development of the bamboo industry, formulate a provincial-level bamboo industry development plan, and guide bamboo-suitable regions to scientifically adjust bamboo species structures based on existing infrastructure, development directions, and enterprise needs, thereby expanding dedicated raw material bases for “replacing plastic with bamboo.”Encourage new types of business entities to establish nearby bamboo raw material bases through self-construction or cooperation to ensure the raw material needs of processing enterprises are met. Increase road network density, enhance road capacity, research and promote new types of bamboo harvesting and transportation machinery and equipment, and actively organize specialized teams for bamboo forest tending, harvesting, and transportation, with a focus on overcoming the “last mile” challenge in transporting bamboo from the mountains.Support processing enterprises in cultivating targeted bamboo forest bases, accelerate the transition from dispersed operations to specialized industrial clusters, and support the large-scale, intensive production of “bamboo-for-plastic” products. (Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau; Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Department of Economy and Information Technology, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Transportation. The entity listed before the comma is the lead agency; the same applies below. All tasks require local implementation and are not listed separately.)

(2) Establish and promote application demonstration bases. Encourage regions with abundant bamboo resources and a solid foundation in the bamboo industry to establish “bamboo-for-plastic” application demonstration bases. Support active exploration of “bamboo-for-plastic” products in key sectors that demonstrate effective substitution, possess significant market potential, and are readily accepted by the public. Timely summarize and refine these efforts to develop replicable and scalable advanced models and best practices, thereby playing a leading and driving role nationwide. (Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Department of Economy and Information Technology, Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau, etc.)

(3) Strengthen enterprise development. Attract a group of leading “bamboo-for-plastic” processing enterprises with advanced technology, strong capabilities, and established markets; incentivize existing enterprises—particularly those above the designated scale—to improve processes, expand production capacity, and enhance quality and efficiency.Priority support will be given to enterprises in bamboo pulp molding, bamboo building materials, bamboo packaging, and bamboo fiber to help them grow and strengthen their operations, while encouraging technological upgrades and modernization among enterprises producing bamboo stationery, bamboo furniture, bamboo tableware, and bamboo panels. (Department of Economy and Information Technology, Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau, and Provincial Economic Cooperation Bureau, responsible according to their respective duties)

II. Actively Expand Application Scenarios

(4) Promote Pioneering Application in Public Institutions. Government agencies and public institutions at all levels across the province shall play a leading and exemplary role in the “Replacing Plastic with Bamboo” initiative. They are encouraged to adopt bamboo products or materials for newly procured office furniture (such as desks, chairs, bookcases, sofas, and bookshelves), office supplies (such as pen holders, document holders, and desk nameplates), daily necessities (such as dining tables, plates, and cutlery), and office space renovations and decorations. (Department of Finance, Provincial Bureau of Public Affairs Management, relevant departments and units)

(5) Promoting Deeper Application in State-Owned Enterprises. Provided that relevant standards are met, state-owned enterprises at all levels shall promote the use of various bamboo products in offices and internal canteens. For projects undertaken by state-owned enterprises, the use of bamboo materials and products is encouraged in new construction and renovation projects, and workers are encouraged to wear bamboo-woven safety helmets that comply with national safety helmet standards at construction sites. (Provincial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission; all provincial state-owned enterprises)

(6) Promote widespread application in public service sectors. Encourage hotels, homestays, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and bubble tea shops to use bamboo materials for interior decoration and to promote the use of bamboo products. Encourage large supermarkets, postal and express delivery outlets, airports, high-speed rail stations, and highway service areas to procure and use bamboo products such as meal boxes and tableware. Encourage regions with the necessary conditions to establish a number of “bamboo-for-plastic” demonstration hotels.(Responsibility lies with the Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce, Provincial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Department of Culture and Tourism, Sichuan Postal Administration, China Railway Chengdu Group, and Provincial Airport Group, in accordance with their respective duties)

(7) Promote widespread use in key industries and sectors. Actively support the promotion and application of bamboo-wrapped composite pipes, panels, and decorative materials in the building materials sector. Encourage localities to demonstrate the application of bamboo-wrapped pipes in key areas such as urban comprehensive pipeline construction, agricultural irrigation and water diversion, and tunnel construction, based on local conditions. (Responsibility lies with the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, according to their respective duties)

(8) Establish market promotion and trading platforms. Improve the Western Ecological Products Trading Platform and expand the range of “bamboo-for-plastic” products. Fully leverage various exhibition and trade fair events, such as the China Western International Expo, to build platforms for dialogue and exchange. Support enterprises within Sichuan in strengthening external cooperation to jointly develop and promote high-quality products, thereby establishing the Sichuan bamboo product brand. (Responsibility lies with the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Department of Economy and Information Technology, and the Department of Commerce, in accordance with their respective duties)

III. Conduct Research on Key Technologies

(9) Cultivate suitable bamboo varieties. Implement initiatives for customized design and breeding of innovative bamboo products, as well as integrated research on bamboo deep-processing technologies, to cultivate functional bamboo varieties suitable for “bamboo-for-plastic” applications. (Department of Science and Technology; Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau)

(10) Support the construction of innovation platforms. Support the development of science and technology innovation support platforms for the bamboo industry, including the Provincial Key Laboratory for Bamboo Pest and Disease Control and Resource Development, the Provincial Engineering Research Center for Bamboo, Forestry, Pulp, and Paper, the Provincial Engineering Research Center for Bamboo Pulping and Papermaking, the Chengdu-Chongqing Bamboo Industry Collaborative Innovation Center, and the Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Bamboo Biomass Refining Technology. Actively foster high-tech enterprises in the bamboo industry. Support eligible enterprises in applying for designation as National Industrial Design Centers and National Technological Innovation Demonstration Enterprises.(Department of Science and Technology; Provincial Development and Reform Commission and Department of Economy and Information Technology, responsible according to their respective duties)

(11) Accelerate the research, development, and commercialization of technologies. Support enterprises in playing a leading role in innovation by collaborating with research institutes and universities to accelerate the development of new technologies, processes, and equipment; expand the range of “bamboo-for-plastic” products; and enhance the level of mechanization in bamboo harvesting, transportation, and processing. Support eligible enterprises in applying for recognition as high-tech enterprises and “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises, and in being included in the database of science and technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises. (Responsibility lies with the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Economy and Information Technology, and the Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau according to their respective duties)

IV. Strengthen Fiscal and Financial Support

(12) Implement fiscal incentives and subsidies. Following the “build first, subsidize later” principle, the provincial government will provide a one-time grant of 2 million yuan to newly designated provincial modern bamboo industry bases, 10 million yuan to provincial modern bamboo industry parks, and 20 million yuan to counties recognized for high-quality development of the bamboo industry. (Responsibility lies with the Department of Finance and the Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau according to their respective duties)

(13) Increase Financial Support. Allocate provincial industrial development funds to support the “bamboo-for-plastic” industry in carrying out digital and intelligent technological upgrades, integrated development of resilient supply chains and strong industrial clusters, industrial technology breakthroughs and innovation capacity enhancement, cultivation of high-quality enterprises, and integrated industrial development. Allocate provincial budgetary funds to support eligible “bamboo-for-plastic” industrial projects, and encourage cities (prefectures), counties (cities, districts) to allocate special funds to support industrial project construction and the promotion and application of products.For “bamboo-for-plastic” promotion and application bases, local governments shall, in principle, allocate no less than 5 million yuan annually in special funds specifically for the promotion and application of “bamboo-for-plastic” products. (Responsibility lies with the Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Economy and Information Technology in accordance with their respective duties)

(14) Develop specialized financial products. Support financial institutions within the province in actively exploring financial service solutions for the “bamboo-for-plastic” industrial chain. By supporting leading enterprises and fostering industrial clusters, promote the extension of the bamboo industrial chain toward downstream high-value-added sectors. Actively leverage financial service platforms such as Tianfu Credit Pass to organize bank-enterprise matchmaking activities and provide efficient and convenient services to “bamboo-for-plastic” enterprises.Further expand the coverage of policy-based insurance for bamboo forests and encourage insurance institutions to launch commercial insurance products for the “bamboo-for-plastic” industry. Support “bamboo-for-plastic” enterprises in raising capital in the capital markets through means such as issuing green bonds and pooled credit enhancement bonds for small and micro enterprises. (The Provincial Party Committee’s Financial Affairs Office, the People’s Bank of China Sichuan Branch, the Sichuan Regulatory Bureau of the National Financial Supervisory Administration, and the Sichuan Securities Regulatory Bureau shall be responsible in accordance with their respective duties.)

V. Strengthening the Supply of Resources and Factors.

(15) Strengthen land use guarantees. Land use plan quotas required for key projects such as the construction of bamboo industrial parks shall be secured by cities and counties through the utilization of plan quotas generated by the revitalization of existing land; where plan quotas are indeed insufficient, they shall be secured through coordinated allocation across the province. (Department of Natural Resources)

(16) Strengthen energy supply guarantees. For new projects where the energy efficiency per unit of major products reaches the advanced or benchmark level of national standards, the energy consumption substitution volume required for energy conservation reviews shall be coordinated at the provincial level. (Provincial Development and Reform Commission)

(17) Optimize environmental impact assessment services. Establish a “green channel” for “bamboo-for-plastic” projects that meet ecological and environmental protection requirements; intervene early and expedite environmental impact assessment approvals in accordance with laws and regulations, while strictly adhering to ecological and environmental protection standards. (Department of Ecology and Environment)

(18) Improve standards and certification.Strengthen the development of technical standards for “bamboo-for-plastic” products; explore the formulation of carbon footprint calculation standards for products such as bamboo pulp fiber; support leading enterprises in actively participating in standard-setting; and establish a carbon emissions calculation database. Intensify the implementation of certification for green products—such as bamboo building materials, bamboo furniture, and flooring—produced by substituting bamboo for plastic, and encourage all parties to recognize and utilize certification results. (Responsibility shared by the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Department of Economy and Information Technology, the Provincial Market Regulation Bureau, and the Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau according to their respective duties)

VI. Continuously Strengthen Publicity and Guidance

(19) Foster a Strong Public Atmosphere. Make full use of various media platforms to strengthen science popularization and publicity regarding “replacing plastic with bamboo,” and actively advocate for green production and lifestyles.Encourage localities to organize diverse activities such as “Replacing Plastic with Bamboo” campaigns in communities, commercial districts, and public institutions. Extensively promote the superior characteristics of “Replacing Plastic with Bamboo” products, raise awareness of the environmental pollution risks caused by the improper use of plastic products, cultivate public habits to reduce consumption of single-use plastic items, and enhance public awareness and acceptance of “Replacing Plastic with Bamboo” products. (Relevant departments shall be responsible according to their respective duties) 

Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission

May 23, 2024