Across the venue of the second China International Import Expo in Shanghai, organizers have posted garbage classification guides and offered three types of trash bins labeled "food waste", "residual waste" and "recyclable" to help mandatory garbage sorting. Volunteers are also ready to explain and help.
If visitors fret over the complex garbage sorting process, they might find solutions at the ABB booth. The Swiss tech giant showcases a waste separation robot, which can nimbly put different kinds of trash into different bins.
The robot is part of an AI-powered garbage sorting system. When rubbish is transfered to the video recognition area, the background system immediately does the analysis and identification work and sends real-time instructions to the robot.
"The whole system uses technologies such as robot automation, AI and cloud computing. Through continuous data collection and deep learning, it can do even better sorting work," said Liu Qianjin, chief technology officer of ABB China.
Many more companies bring their green solutions to the expo, hoping to cash in on business opportunities in the world's second-largest economy that is focusing more on green growth and environment protection.
Japanese company Itochu exhibits a high-performance waste incineration power generation technology. "Precise waste separation is very important for improving waste incineration efficiency. We are seeking more partners in China to launch public-private partnership (PPP) projects," said Fang Yijie, assistant to general manager of Itochu Shanghai Ltd.
In addition, Itochu shows recyclable clothing materials that can help reduce the consumption of marine-environment polluting polyester fibers. It also brings a kind of plastics-like paper made mainly from limestone that can cut the use of non-renewable oil derivatives.
"Itochu showcased its strengths in various fields at last year's expo, but this year we focus more on products and technologies related to circular economy. Our recent investments are more or less related to green development," said Fang.
Asia Pulp &Paper Group (APP) showcases a better waterproof version of the biodegradable material it launched at the first CIIE as well as biodegradable greaseproof wrapper and parchment paper for baking.
"To make the most of the biodegradable materials, people need to be willing to pay slightly higher prices for products beneficial to sustainable development and do the trash sorting work well. Nowadays, increasingly more Chinese people can do both," said Zhai Jingli, APP China vice president.
Heng Ju, senior vice president of AECOM China, said global companies are getting more involved in China's sustainable development. "One of our partners is developing waste degradation technologies, and our mission is to apply these technologies with our better urban planning programs," said Ju.
Eyeing China's pursuit of sustainable development and green life, the companies bring a great variety of green products to the second CIIE to seek potential deals, said Yu Dianfan, a professor with Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.
On the third day of the six-day expo, APP signed tentative deals on more than 110 million U.S. dollars worth of degradable products with companies from Shanghai and provinces of Jilin and Zhejiang. AECOM also has signed cooperation agreements with several Chinese companies to explore ecological and environmental-friendly city planning schemes.
China will bring about more cooperation and development opportunities to companies across the world as the country further opens its doors and pushes foreward green development, said Ju. Meanwhile, the innovative plans from the global companies will help promote the sustainable development of the whole world, he said.
