The world's largest plastics recycling processing plant, capable of recycling 60,000 tons of waste plastics annually, has begun operating in Beijing.

Operated by Beijing Incom Resources Recovery Co Ltd, the plant has an investment of 300 million yuan (US$37.5 million), said an official with the Beijing municipal industry promotion bureau on Monday.

Li Ping, director of the bureau, said the plant's annual capacity equaled one third of the city's total annual waste plastics amount, and would result in 30,000 tons of clean polyester pieces and 20,000 tons of bottled polyester chips -- equivalent to a saving of 300,000 tons of petroleum annually.

"The line will contribute greatly to Beijing's energy saving endeavor," said Li Ping.

Figures from the Beijing Municipal Packing Technology Association show that waste plastic bottles amounted to 150,000 tons in 2007 in Beijing, and are expected to surge to 300,000 tons in 2010.

Tens of thousands of migrant workers formed the previous so-called waste plastics recycling system. They collected and purchased discarded bottles, and transported the bottles to urban-rural fringe zones for cleaning and crushing, which resulted in a low-level and high-polluting recycling market.

According to the packing technology association, Beijing has more than 150 low-level workshops, with daily capacities of one to three tons. About 15 to 20 tons of water are needed for handling each ton of waste plastics.

Li Ping said Beijing had encouraged more enterprises to participate in building logistics and sorting centers for waste plastics. Beijing Incom would set up four such centers this year to help build a recycling system for waste plastic bottles.