Development and Evolution of China’s Zero-Waste City Construction Based on LDA Approach

Zero-waste cities have been widely recognized as an urban development model that effectively reduces urban solid waste. Since China initiated the construction of zero-waste cities in 2018, preliminary successes have been achieved. Different regions, following the central government’s unified top-level design, have embarked on exploratory efforts, continuously adjusting and optimizing their implementation plans based on their own development levels and practical characteristics. This has led to significant heterogeneity among regions in terms of policies, practices, and outcomes. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically review the construction activities over the past 5 years. This paper, based on public information from the national ecological and environmental department’s portal, focuses on keywords to organize and analyze the construction and evolution of China’s zero-waste cities. This research provides insights for the government to optimize policies related to the construction of zero-waste cities, aiming to enhance the overall construction effect of zero-waste cities in China.