BEIJING - China's industrial authority on Friday released a plan to recycle 7 billion tons of industrial solid waste during the 2011-2015 period, in an effort to help ease the environment deteriorating trend.

The figure is nearly double the amount of such waste recycled during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said in the plan.

Over the five years, the country will reclaim a total of 350,000 mu (23,333 hectares) of land previously occupied by industrial waste, a change that will greatly improve its ecological environment.

By 2015, annual recycling of industrial waste will reach 1.6 billion tons, achieving a utilization ratio of 50 percent, according to the plan.

The plan refers to "massive industrial solid waste" that have huge impact on the environment after being generated from industrial production. Examples include coal gangue and ashes, and the category has an annual output of over 10 million tons, according to the MIIT.

The world's second-largest economy has been consuming large amounts of energy to fuel its galloping economy, and thus facing tough environmental challenges.

The country's 12th Five-Year Plan, released in late 2010, made it clear that China will seek scientific development and strive to build an energy-saving and environmentally friendly society during the five years.

During the 2006-2010 period, China recycled 3.6 billion tons of solid waste, and reclaimed 180,000 mu of waste-occupied land.