NANCHANG, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is ahead of the world in the recycling of major non-ferrous metals and it was an area in which there had been rapid development, said participants at an international forum concluded Monday in eastern China's Jiangxi province.

    This was part of China's efforts to maintain sustainable economic growth, improve the efficient use of resources and lessen environmental pollution, they said.

    The three-day forum on metals recycling was held in Fengcheng City.

    In 2008 China ranked the first in the world in the consumption of recycled copper, using approximately 2 million tonnes, or 30 percent of its total annual copper consumption.

    China also used 3 million tonnes of recycled aluminum, or 20 percent of its annual consumption; and nearly 1 million tonnes of recycled lead, 25 percent of consumption in 2008.

    The figures place China the second in the world in terms of annual consumption of recycled aluminum and lead.