By the end of 2025China Post Bureau ban non-degradable plastic packaging
On October 14, the State Post Bureau held a regular press conference for the fourth quarter of 2022. Guan Aiguang, deputy director of the Market Supervision Department of the State Post Bureau, emphasized that by the end of 2025, it’s sure that single-use plastic product such as non-degradable packaging bags、packaging tape and disposable woven bags will be ban. And promote the application of alternative products, such as degradable plastic bags, degradable tapes, etc. At the same time, increase the research and development of recyclable, easily recyclable and degradable alternative materials，to reduce the cost of enterprises and consumers.
Because of the advantages of stable performance and durability, plastics generate huge economic benefits for human beings. It is also because of its own structure that it will not completely degrade or disappear within decades or even hundreds of years after being discarded, but will be decomposed into smaller plastic blocks or microplastics. These microplastics eventually enter the human body through the food chain. In addition to the impact of plastic discharge on human health, the production of plastic also has an impact on our living environment. Plastics are derived from petroleum, and about 98% of single-use plastic products are produced from petroleum and its derivatives. This means that it increases oil consumption and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the production, use and disposal of traditional plastics will account for about 19% of global carbon emissions by 2040, or about 2.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (2.1 GtCO2e).
Express packaging is one of the main sources of plastic waste. According to Chinese CCTV Finance, the volume of express delivery in China in 2019 has exceeded 60 billion pieces, and the length of the packaging tape alone is 48 billion meters, which can be nearly 1,200 circles around the earth’s equator. At the same time, due to the thin and light characteristics of express packaging bags and tapes, their recycling value is extremely low, which makes them naturally become plastic waste.
With the development of the express delivery industry, the State Post Bureau stated that the express delivery business volume will reach 150 billion pieces in 2025. Therefore, the restriction of express plastics has become one of the priorities for the country to control plastic waste. Opinions on Governance”, which sets the goal of restricting plastics in express delivery in 2025. In order to achieve the goal, by the end of September 2022, the proportion of China Post’s industry-wide procurement and use of standard packaging materials and standardized packaging operations will both reach 90%, and a total of 9.78 million recyclable express boxes (boxes) will be placed in the postal express business. 122,000 recycling devices were installed at the investment sites, and 640 million corrugated boxes were recycled and reused. Many data have reached or are close to the annual target.
Guan Aiguang said ,the China Post Bureau is accelerating the green transformation of express packaging.