A bibliometric study of China’s resource recycling industry policies: 1978–2016

•We performed a bibliometric analysis to probe the evolution of China’s resource recycling policies from 1978 to 2016 and the roles of core government agencies in policy-making.•The developmental process of China’s resource recycling industry policies can be divided into four stages: an exploratory stage , a preliminary formation stage, a rapid growth stage, and a strategic deepening stage.•Four topic clusters were identified from keyword networks: policy themes, waste categories, industrial chains and policy instruments.•Increasing numbers of government departments are becoming involved in formulating resource recycling industry policies, and cooperation among them has gradually strengthened.