Exploration and results analysis of the construction paths of “zero-waste park” in Nanjing's typical chemical industrial park

Chemical industry parks serve as key drivers of economic development and simultaneously are significant sources of industrial solid and hazardous waste. In 2023, Jiangsu Province focused on chemical industry parks and explored a new model for the construction of “zero-waste park” to promote high-quality development of these industrial zones. Nanjing took the lead in advancing the “zero-waste park” construction at Nanjing Jiangbei New Materials High-Tech Park (formerly Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park). Throughout the process of the “zero-waste park” construction, the park continuously leveraged its potential and achieved remarkable results in terms of waste reduction, resource recovery, and harmless disposal by focusing on five key areas: institutional development, source reduction, technological innovation, mechanism improvement, and public engagement. These efforts resulted in significant improvements in waste management practices, a continuously enhanced regulatory framework, and heightened public awareness and support for the “zero waste” concept. This study aims to provide a reference for the “zero-waste” construction of other parks by analyzing the construction pathways, achievements, and existing challenges of typical “zero-waste park” in Nanjing.