Two phone cases made from recycled marine waste. [Photo provided by Dai Kailin for Tide News]

In Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, fishermen return not just with a boat full of fish, but also bundles of plastic bottles and discarded nets. What was once ocean pollution has become an economic opportunity through Taizhou's innovative "Blue Circle" model.

Launched in 2023, the Blue Circle won the United Nations' highest environmental honor — the Champions of the Earth award — standing out among more than 2,500 projects.

The Blue Circle Marine Ecological Civilization Educational Base, located in Jiaojiang district in Taizhou, now serves as a model for how plastic waste is repurposed and tracked.

Each recycled product, from phone cases to paving tiles, carries a unique digital identification. Scanning the phone case's QR code reveals its origin in bottles collected by the fishing boat Zhe Jiao Yu 10086 on Aug 5. This traceability system reflects the city's innovation in marine waste management.

Through its smart monitoring platforms, Taizhou tracks waste collection and incentivizes coastal communities. Low-income groups earn up to 2,000 yuan ($278) monthly, turning cleanup into viable income.

Even a seaside promenade at Taizhou Bay, once a shipyard, now sparkles with eco-bricks made from ocean plastic. As Taizhou expands production to process nets, ropes, and buoys, its Blue Circle continues to grow as a sustainable coastal industry model.