The plans included recovery targets of 95% of waste automobiles and 70% of end of life tyres. In 2005, only 4% of Beijing’s retreadable casings were retreaded, the China Daily newspaper reported.

By 2010, 40% of all rubbish will be burnt, 30 per cent will be treated and the rest will be buried. At present, 90% of the city’s garbage is buried, taking up 327 hectares land. Only 2% of the garbage is burned and 8% is composted.

"Beijing will preliminarily set up a framework for the circular economy and become a model resource-saving city for the nation by 2010," said Yao Fei, an official with the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform.