National Development and Reform Commission for the plastic garbage pollution control public solicitation of opinions is coming to an end.
A number of environmental groups, business unions made their voices heard, put forward specific suggestions around the issue of plastic waste and its impact.
The majority opinion is that overconsumption and one-off culture are the root causes of plastic environmental problems. There is an urgent need to reduce the use of all plastics, especially over-use of plastics, unnecessary use and one-time use.
Corresponding suggestions include preventing plastic waste at its source, taking plastic waste into consideration from the product and packaging design stages, phasing out disposable plastic products and curbing the use of non-durable plastics, etc. For example, setting disposable tableware output Red line and reduce the index year by year, try to replace the plastic bag with a plastic shopping bag, courier packaging materials used in plant fillers.
Zero Waste Alliance proposed that the economic growth and consumption of material resources, garbage generation as an indicator, that is, with the reduction of unit GDP GDP energy consumption, water consumption is similar to the amount of garbage per unit of GDP should also be reduced from the implementation point of view, should be set We will reduce the target set and timetable for the package of plastic rubbish, formulate the implementation plan, carry out departmental work division, and include the government examination.
In addition, biodegradable plastics considered to be one of the solutions to the problem of plastic pollution have also been questioned, with the view that due to the lack of relevant standards, many biodegradable materials on the market will only partially degrade and become fragmented, Bring environmental problems
'From the source to reduce the production and use of disposable plastic products'
The mass manufacturing, use and disposal of disposable plastic products are seen as the most 'tricky' issue facing plastic pollution today.
A number of enterprises and environmental organizations described the disposable plastic products can not be recycled, can only enter the mixed garbage, and even into the natural environment will be the consequences, and make recommendations.
On January 28, the Zero Waste Alliance, which is dedicated to promoting a solution to the junk crisis in our country, said that their opinions include controlling the production and use of disposable plastic products and plastic packaging from the source, using the principle of source reduction and prioritization, and waste management priorities Principle and precautionary principle, in accordance with the requirements of producer responsibility extension system, to re-design solutions and materials and to provide preferential policies for alternative programs and alternative products, to guide social innovators and capital into the above fields, to form a business model and to create a new type Industrial growth point.
Disposable plastic products - shopping bags, is considered one of the most difficult to recycle plastic products.
Public use plastic bags to hold food
Zero Waste Alliance proposed that plastic shopping bags can be replaced with bags: In order to solve the problem of people forget the belt, you can use the bag deposit system, as long as once remember the belt, a one-time return and refund the deposit can; In addition, can allow a certain transition During the period, the plastic bags levy a high environmental tax, increase its selling price, the price control to encourage people to get rid of the dependence on plastic bags.
In addition, in view of the sharp increase in the use of disposable tableware in recent years, the Zero Waste Alliance said first of all, the total amount of control should be set to set a red line for the production of disposable tableware and to reduce the annual target. Second, Thirdly, to support the development, pilot and promotion of repeated use of takeaway tableware solutions (including tableware, recycling programs, cleaning programs, etc.) with preferential policies.
The Qi (Beijing) Resource Recycling Technology Company, which is dedicated to resolving the siege of the garbage, also posted its recommendation to the NDRC on its Wechat "R Cube Space".
Zhang Miao, one of the founders of the company, has made two suggestions for the widespread use of disposable plastic in his life, including encouraging the use of filler materials for plant raw materials in courier packaging and banning the use of disposable tableware in restaurant canteens.
Zhang Miao pointed out that in order to reduce the impact of courier packaging will use such as air bags, bubble film, white foam shell and other plastic filler, such plastic products due to occupy a large space but light weight and other reasons not easy to be recovered. From the point of view of local availability, some purely natural alternatives such as pine needles, straw, corn husks, etc. Biomass raw materials that are readily degradable can also be included in alternative categories, such as foam fillers using corn starch as the raw material.
However, in view of the feasibility of this proposal, Zhang Miao said frankly that no further consideration has been given, and said that the choice of alternative alternatives will increase the cost of filling, whether it is possible to introduce policies to encourage the development of related industries, all of which still need specific analysis.
'Standard degradable plastic market launch standards'
Speaking of plastic waste solutions, often mentioned is the use of biodegradable plastic alternative.
The Zero Waste Alliance recommends standardizing the marketplace for degradable plastics, requiring that all releasable plastic products placed on the market must be compatible with the waste collection and treatment system and avoid the production of toxic and hazardous chemicals and substances, especially It is forbidden for sellers to label degradable plastics as 'degradable in the environment'.
This suggestion stems from the public's previous query of 'green packaging' and 'biodegradable packaging.' On November 2, 2017, the State Administration of Posts, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other ten departments jointly released the " Guiding Opinions on Packaging (hereinafter referred to as Guiding Opinions), stating that by 2020, the proportion of degradable green packaging materials will be increased to 50%.
However, the relevant departments have not yet defined the definition and standard of 'green packaging' and the environmental protection performance of degradable packaging materials, etc. Therefore, the Zero Waste Alliance has proposed 'prudently develop and promote degradable plastics'.
"Biodegradable materials are still essentially single-use." The Zero Waste Alliance points out that one-sided emphasis on the biodegradability of degradable plastics can lead to the voluntary disposal of associated waste, the pollution of recyclables and the increase of biomass waste disposal Cost and other issues.
Mao Zedong, a Beijing-based environmental history doctor and Beijing-based zero-waste sponsor, said that plastics have strict conditions of biodegradability. At present, biodegradable plastics on the market can only be partially or fully used if the relevant technical conditions and facilities are complete Microbial degradation of natural elements (such as water, carbon dioxide and biomass, etc.).
Degradable plastics also challenge sustainable land use and recycling systems Specifically, biodegradable plastics are recycled in a way that is different from traditional plastics and often mixed with traditional plastic recycling processes. To collect 'recyclable' or ' Non-recyclable plastic, 'degradable' or 'non-degradable' plastic, single plastic or mixed plastic is difficult and costly to operate, and poses a challenge to the quality of the collection process and the recycled material as well as the plastic recovery rate The status quo worsened.
The Zero Waste Alliance advises on the environmental and social impacts of the biodegradable plastics throughout its life cycle, especially its comparison with fossil sources or non-degradable plastics. Developing sustainability criteria for plastic materials will guide industries and society as a whole to rationally develop natural resources , The rational use of various plastic materials, the rational development of new plastic materials, in order to minimize the negative impact of the plastic economy on the environment and society.