The notice on Solidly Promoting plastic pollution control (hereinafter referred to as the notice) makes arrangements for further improving plastic pollution control, especially for completing the phased objectives and tasks by the end of 2020. By the end of August, all localities will launch special law enforcement inspection on the promotion of plastic prohibition and restriction in key areas such as shopping malls, supermarkets, market fairs and catering industry.
Do a good job in plastic pollution control. What are the phased objectives and tasks by the end of 2020? What opportunities and challenges will it bring to plastics, packaging and other industries? The reporter interviewed relevant experts.
Many disposable plastic products are banned at the end of the year
In January this year, the "opinions on Further Strengthening the control of plastic pollution" was issued and implemented. Zhang Deyuan, associate researcher of Macroeconomic Research Institute, believes that compared with the policy in 2007, the "new plastic restriction order" has built a policy system covering the whole life cycle of plastic products production, circulation, consumption and end disposal, opening a new journey of plastic pollution control in China.
First look at the supply side. According to the "new plastic restriction order", it is prohibited to produce and sell ultra-thin plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm and polyethylene agricultural mulch with a thickness of less than 0.01 mm. The import of waste plastics is completely prohibited. By the end of this year, the production and sale of disposable foamed plastic tableware and disposable plastic cotton swabs will be prohibited; The production of daily chemical products containing plastic beads is prohibited.
On the consumer side, by the end of this year, shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, catering packaging and takeout services and various exhibition activities in the built-up areas of municipalities directly under the central government, provincial capital cities and cities specifically designated in the state plan will prohibit the use of non degradable plastic bags, and the use of non degradable plastic bags in market markets will be standardized and restricted; The use of non degradable disposable plastic straw is prohibited in the catering industry nationwide; The use of non degradable disposable plastic tableware is prohibited in the catering hall service in the built-up areas and scenic spots of cities above the prefecture level.
In order to implement the "new version of plastic restriction order", the nine departments recently issued the "notice" and announced the detailed standards for the prohibition and restriction management.
On the one hand, the policy maintains continuity and re emphasizes the varieties that have been explicitly prohibited by previous policies. For example, ultra-thin plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025mm and agricultural mulching films with a thickness of less than 0.01mm have long been banned by relevant national regulations and mandatory standards. Disposable foamed plastic tableware has also been listed in the eliminated products of the Guiding Catalogue for industrial structure adjustment (2019 Edition).
On the other hand, the policy has enhanced the operability and defined the scope of prohibition of some varieties. For example, it is clear that "daily chemical products containing plastic beads" mainly refer to some shower agents, facial cleansers, scrub creams, shampoo and other washing cosmetics, toothpaste and tooth powder, and the size of plastic beads is specified. Resident cosmetics that do not meet the prohibition conditions have not been included in the prohibition scope. Another example is "non degradable plastic bags", which does not include plastic pre packaging bags, continuous roll bags and fresh-keeping bags for bulk fresh food, cooked food, pasta and other commodities; In addition, the forbidden scenarios are limited to shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, catering packaging and takeout services, exhibition activities, etc., and other usage scenarios are not covered for the time being.
"The detailed standards fully consider the actual situation of the industry and the production and supply situation, increase the operability and ensure the steady progress of the policy." Zhang Lijun, vice president of the China Federation of Commerce, said.
Set exemption scenario and provide buffer period
The treatment of plastic pollution should not only enhance the sense of urgency and responsibility, but also take into account the practical feasibility and realize scientific management.
The notice requires that all localities issue provincial implementation plans by mid August to refine and decompose tasks and compact responsibilities at all levels; Urge provincial capitals, cities specifically designated in the state plan and cities above the prefecture level to analyze and evaluate key and difficult problems in various fields, study and put forward operable and effective specific promotion measures in combination with local conditions, focusing on the phased objectives by the end of 2020, so as to ensure that the objectives and tasks are completed on schedule.
Fully considering the differences, the circular does not engage in "one size fits all". Wen zongguo, a professor at the school of environment of Tsinghua University, believes that the notice fully takes into account the differences between regions and industries, provides differentiated control routes, conforms to the basic national conditions and the principle of adjusting measures to local conditions, and gradually implements the comprehensive treatment measures.
Taking non degradable plastic bags as an example, by the end of 2020, shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, catering packaging and takeout services and various exhibition activities in the built-up areas of municipalities directly under the central government, provincial capitals and cities with separate planning will be "prohibited", while the fair market will be "regulated and restricted". By the end of 2022, the implementation scope of the "ban" will be extended to all urban built-up areas above the prefecture level and county built-up areas in coastal areas.
Taking full account of the feasibility, the notice also sets an exemption scenario. For example, disposable plastic cotton swabs do not include relevant medical devices; In response to major public emergencies, disposable plastic products used for emergency support, material distribution and catering services in specific areas can be exempted from prohibition and restriction. "Exempt the special needs of specific scenes and major public emergencies to provide a buffer period for the transformation of enterprise production mode and consumer consumption habits." Wen zongguo said.
The notice specifies five key areas, including strengthening the supervision and inspection of the prohibition of the production and sales of plastic products, strengthening the supervision and management of the prohibition and restriction of plastic products in the fields of retail catering, promoting the treatment of agricultural film, standardizing the collection and disposal of plastic waste, and carrying out special cleaning of plastic waste. It requires that we pay close attention to the implementation.
"Varieties with low reuse value or difficult to classify and utilize are the main source of plastic pollution and the key to plastic pollution control. The notice firmly focuses on high-risk varieties and focuses on promoting." According to Zhang Deyuan's analysis, the non degradable agricultural film with a thickness of less than 0.01mm will be broken after use, which is very difficult to recover, and the accumulation over the years will bring harm to the quality of cultivated land.
For another example, disposable non degradable plastic knives, forks, spoons and straws are easy to mix with food waste, which brings difficulties to the subsequent resource disposal and utilization of food waste, such as anaerobic fermentation.
The capacity of alternative products can meet consumer demand
Zhang Lijun introduced that for the "new version of plastic restriction order", retail enterprises have begun to take positive actions and formed a number of practical alternatives. Many supermarkets can provide consumers with non-woven environmental protection shopping bags. Some bookstores have also received good results by using simple kraft paper packages to replace shopping bags. In order to reduce the use of disposable plastic straw, some catering enterprises have transformed the cold drink cup cover and replaced the combination of "straw cup cover" with the cup cover with its own drinking nozzle.
It is estimated that the annual consumption of disposable plastic shopping bags, disposable straws and disposable knives, forks and spoons in the retail and catering fields in relevant regions involved in the phased objectives by the end of 2020 is about 300000 tons, the raw materials of non-woven fabrics, paper, bamboo and other substitutes are sufficient, and the annual supply of degradable plastics is about 400000 tons. "Alternative product capacity can meet consumer demand." Zhang Lijun said. Recently, relevant industry associations have been actively organizing alternative product manufacturers and catering and retail enterprises to carry out supply-demand docking and promote plastic reduction and substitution in key areas.
Recyclable packaging, tape free cartons, slimming tape, all biodegradable bags... E-commerce and express enterprises have come up with clever ideas to implement the "new plastic restriction order". Zhao Kai, vice president of China Circular Economy Association, introduced that plastic pollution control also forces enterprises to constantly explore new products and models. Enterprises are carrying out green construction from storage, packaging, transportation, terminal distribution and other links.
"With the implementation of relevant detailed requirements, it will strongly promote upstream and downstream partners to cooperate to build a green supply chain." Zhao Kai said.
Plastic pollution control is a systematic project. While doing a good job in source reduction, relevant departments and industry associations are simultaneously promoting the ecological design of plastic products, strengthening the recycling and disposal of plastic waste, strengthening comprehensive treatment and promoting the construction of a long-term mechanism for plastic pollution control.