Cutlery made from bamboo are displayed at a demonstration center in Anji. LI SHANGYI/CHINA DAILY

The versatility of bamboo has long been known in China, where the giant woody grass has been utilized since the 11th century BC, taking the form of any number of useful items from food, transport and weapons to housing, paper and instruments.

China has 7.01 million hectares of bamboo forests and is the world's largest producer and exporter of bamboo products, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The nation's bamboo forests account for an area similar in size to the entirety of Ireland.

It's estimated that the world produces around 400 million metric tons of plastic waste each year, and bamboo has arisen as a viable and environmentally friendly replacement due to its versatility and higher level of biodegradability.

At the forefront of the movement to replace plastics with bamboo are major bamboo production areas in China such as Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Guangdong and Anhui provinces.

In Anji, a county in northwestern Zhejiang province, bamboo is already replacing plastic in various products, from single-use takeaway cutlery to toothbrushes and combs used in hotels and homestays.

With 666 square kilometers of bamboo forests, an area about 80 percent of the size of New York City, and a long-standing history of bamboo use, Anji is serving as a model in advancing bamboo as an alternative to plastic.

In 2023, China launched a three-year plan to accelerate the industrial development of bamboo as a substitute for plastic with Anji designated as one of the first demonstration bases.

Bai Xia, who manages Anji's bamboo products exhibition center that showcases the innovative uses of the plant, said, "Since 2022, bamboo food trays have been replacing plastic ones in local government canteens and affiliated bodies."

Bamboo's potential as a plastic substitute takes on various forms in the exhibition center — from bamboo cutlery, straws and packaging boxes to bedding and clothing made from bamboo fiber.

Bai said that bamboo cutlery, toothbrushes, combs and toothpaste are widely used in Anji, and that bamboo-made tableware features in more than 300 restaurants and hotels in the county.

"In local markets, plastic bags have also been replaced by biodegradable bags made from 60 percent bamboo powder," she said. "These bamboo-based bags can break down within three months and yet they are tougher than plastic bags."

On the farm, bamboo-based film is replacing plastic film used for heat and water preservation. "As bamboo film is biodegradable, farmers no longer need to collect film waste in the field," Bai added.

Kindergartens in Anji have also adopted bamboo-made toys for children to play with, including toy bricks and models.

The estimated annual yield of bamboo is between 400,000 tons and 500,000 in Anji, according to Tang Hui from the local forestry department.

Bamboo undergoes several processes on its journey to becoming a versatile material.

Some products such as construction materials, cups and straws are made directly from bamboo through physical processing, while others, like pressed trays, bamboofiber clothing and packaging materials made of bamboo pulp, are created through chemical processing, Tang said.