China wins UN environment award

China's program to process marine plastic waste, based on collaboration between more than 6,000 individuals and over 200 enterprises from the eastern province of Zhejiang, won the 2023 UN Champions of the Earth Award on Monday.
The award, the UN's most prestigious environmental recognition, commends the effectiveness of the program. The program, called Blue Circle, incorporates digital technologies such as the Internet of Things and blockchain, and traces the recycling and remanufacturing process of marine plastics.
It benefits participating fishermen while effectively cuts down pollution in coastal waters. Plastic waste threatens marine species and ecosystems all over the world, as it is hard to collect, recycle and re-produce, while disposal is very costly.