These fragments of used plastic can be found everywhere in China. After being turned back into raw materials they will help feed the hunger of Chinese consumers for more things.

Li Weijia, an eco-minded business owner thinks that the recycling business in China is often more concerned with making money than being green.

“The recycling industry in China is badly regulated... there are all kinds of companies around, most of which got in for the quick money and have no concern for the quality of goods produced from the recycled materials,” said Li Weijia, an eco-minded business owner in Liaoning Province.

Li's company's main product is the floors used in open-air corridors. The wood-plastic composite is made from recycled plastic and waste wood.

Although the product is more durable than the commonly used wood, Li is still having a hard time selling his product.

Another rising issue facing the recycling industry in China is the smuggling of contaminated materials, an area over which there can never be any safety guarantees.

The most common illegal activity is to import waste with falsified waste categories and faked import licenses.

Recycling has become a global industry and China is the largest importer of the world's waste materials. But it has a lot of catching up to do in managing this industry safely.