Express packaging, when "green" up

"tear off the tape around the outer package, open the cardboard box, there are not only foam fillers, but also several layers of newspapers, remove all the packaging and finally see the goods bought, with their own packaging. It's really three layers inside and outside. " Liu Hong, a Beijing resident who has just moved into his new home, bought a lot of belongings through online shopping, all of which were affordable and satisfactory, but the express packaging worried him. "some cardboard boxes are very brand-new, but it's a pity to throw away the garbage and take up a lot of space."

In fact, many people have experienced the experience of Liu Hong's online shopping. He told reporters that in the dustbin of the community, there are all kinds of packaging rubbish, including cardboard boxes, woven bags, plastic bags, non-woven bags and so on. "many packages are well preserved, but they are thrown away as rubbish and can't be reused, which is a waste." Liu Hong said.

According to statistics from the State Post Bureau, the volume of express delivery nationwide reached 20.6 billion in 2015. Based on an average of 0.2kg of boxes per package, the express industry produced more than 4 million tons of boxes last year, which can fill 200000 football fields. According to the average need for 0.1 square meters of tape for an express package, the amount of tape used in 2015 is about 2 billion square meters. In the first half of this year, the volume of express delivery reached 13.25 billion pieces, an increase of 56.7% over the same period last year.

Zhang Min, who runs an online store on an e-commerce platform, is also very helpless about the current situation of excessive packaging. In order to prevent the goods from being damaged in transit, the seller had to work hard on the packing. After all, there are problems in the transportation process, and the buyers always negotiate with the sellers. If the buyer gives a bad review, it will affect the business. The packing is cumbersome, and I don't think it's good, but there's nothing I can do about it. "

A large number of packages produced by express excessive packaging, such as transparent tape, air bags, plastic bags, etc., the main raw material is PVC. Chang Jiwen, deputy director of the Institute of Resources and Environmental Policy of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that PVC is buried in the soil and takes hundreds of years to degrade. If burned, it will produce a large number of pollutants, harmful to human health.

Excessive packaging of express delivery also leads to a waste of resources. Data show that 1 ton of reusable carton cartons can be thrown away once, even if 100% of the pulp can be recycled, only 0.8 tons of new carton cartons can be obtained in the end, resulting in 20% material waste.

"realizing the green and environmental protection of express packaging is not a technical problem, but a matter of economic cost," Chang Jiwen said. at present, labor costs remain high, and the cost of recycling old cartons is even higher than that of new ones. In addition, there are no explicit provisions on the packaging standards for express delivery and e-commerce.

"Express packaging should be 'green' as soon as possible." Chang Jiwen said that relevant laws and regulations need to be established and improved to provide institutional guarantee for the "green" of express packaging. For example, define the environmental protection standards of transport packaging in the express delivery industry; clarify the quantitative standards of various non-degradable materials used in packaging. In view of the problems existing in the express delivery industry, many countries have promulgated laws and regulations to control excessive packaging. It is understood that the State Post Bureau has drafted a green development plan for express delivery, which is under consideration.

"Economic leverage should also play a role." For example, the market behavior of express packaging can be regulated through tax leverage, the cost of non-degradable materials can be increased, and recycling can be encouraged, Chang said.

Recently, 32 logistics companies formed a green alliance, promising to replace 50% of packaging materials and fillers with 100% degradable green packaging materials by 2020. Chang Jiwen commented, "this reflects the express industry from introspection to self-consciousness, began to practice the concept of green express." In fact, green express involves packaging material suppliers, logistics enterprises, e-commerce platforms, merchants and other subjects, but also related to thousands of consumers, each side should participate in it. "