"Double Eleven" promotion season packaging waste surges
Excessive packaging of fruits and vegetables "looks distressed"
"Booming direct drop", "special promotion", "buy one get one free", "coupon", "seckill", "flash sale"... "Double Eleven" was launched in advance, and both online and offline merchants showed their strengths. "Buy, buy, buy" create momentum.
This year's "Double Eleven" is the largest sales promotion season since the implementation of household waste classification in Beijing. While driving consumption, it also brought about a surge in express packaging waste.
Recently, some citizens have reported that some products have over-packaged problems, calling for attention to the reduction of source waste.
Reporters have conducted investigations over the past few days and found that excessive packaging is concentrated in areas such as cosmetics and catering. Among them, the packaging of fruits and vegetables in supermarkets is the "hardest hit area."
Online shopping
A box of cosmetic bags with 5 layers
10 bags per meal
On the evening of November 5th, once again opened his "shopping cart" on a shopping site, Mr. Zhao, who lives in Yushuguan Xili, told reporters that there were more than 10 items in the shopping cart including toys for children and household electronics. "The packaging of these products will be disassembled in all living rooms."
Mr. Zhao said that he had not paid too much attention to the issue of waste reduction before, but the excessive packaging of online shopping products surprised him and also caused his worries. “We bought a set of cosmetics a few days ago and found it difficult to unpack it. After unpacking, the packing box was tightly sealed with tape. Cut off the tape and opened the big carton. It was found that there was a foam box inside, and then opened it was a gift bag and a suitcase. There are boxes in the gift bag, and the boxes are all plastic Seal the paper, and then open the glass bottle containing the lotion and cream." Mr. Zhao said that the express package has at least 5 layers. "The packaging boxes are very beautiful. I don’t want to throw them away. Keep them and take up space. It feels very wasteful and a lot of garbage has been added."
During the interview and investigation, the reporter heard many citizens complain about the problem of excessive packaging in online shopping.
"I bought a pet feeding machine a few days ago. It is a very large box filled with foam plastics. Each board is individually wrapped. It is not practical. It is all wooden board and is not afraid of pressure." A consumer said.
Speaking of over-packing, Ms. Chen, who lives in Wenxinjiayuan District, Tongzhou District, told reporters that the over-packing of takeaways is also distressing: "My daughter and I ordered takeaways once, but I didn’t order much, but the takeaway guy brought two large plastics. Special plastic bags for beverages and beverages, straws wrapped in paper, and a plastic bag wrapped around the outside... More than 10 plastic bags, lunch boxes, and cutlery bags were taken apart, and a table was full." She was really there once. Feeling distressed, I took photos of these packages, and wanted to post them online, calling on relevant catering companies and consumers to refuse excessive packaging. "Consumers are most concerned about taste and safety when ordering food. The packaging should pay attention to safety and hygiene, not so fancy. "Supermarket
A banana a bag
Three layers of a melon bag
An ear of corn is vacuum-packed and then packed into a beautifully designed packaging box. A melon or dragon fruit is tightly wrapped in a three-layer packaging such as a tray, a sponge net cover, and a plastic bag. Even a banana has its own independent packaging. Even a piece of ginger or a piece of green onion needs to be wrapped in a plastic bag... This is a scene the reporter saw in many supermarkets.
Ms. Wang lives in the streets of Olympic Village. She reported that a Caixianguomei supermarket in the Shangpin Building next to the Beiyuan Road North Station of the subway has the problem of excessive fruit and vegetable packaging. “Two carrots should be equipped with a plastic box, and then a plastic bag. "Ms. Wang is worried that this type of excessive packaging will cost higher labor costs, increase the price of fruits and vegetables, and cause residents to produce excess white waste after purchase.
On the afternoon of November 6, the reporter came to this Caixianguomei supermarket.
A box of red dragon fruits is placed on the counter as soon as you enter the door, all of which are individually packaged-each dragon fruit is supported by a white plastic tray at the bottom, covered with a sponge net cover, and then covered with a layer of plastic film. Called "luxury".
Not only dragon fruit, but also mango, melon and other fruits enjoy the same "luxury treatment".
Not only fruits, but in front of the vegetable stall in the supermarket, the reporter found that celery, loofah and other vegetables are also individually packaged.
There is also a fresh corn counter next to the vegetable stall. After each ear of corn is vacuum-packed, it is packed into a beautifully designed and antique carton.
In the supermarket, the reporter also saw that dried mangoes, tuckahoe cakes, dried cougars, etc., which were originally packaged in individual small packages, were assembled into a packaging box, wrapped in plastic film, and finally wrapped with tape. Get up and pack.
The reporter visited many supermarkets and found that excessive packaging of fruits and vegetables is widespread.
In the Hema Xiansheng Supermarket on the basement level of Sunshine Building on Xizhimenwai Avenue, some of the individual packaging that is convenient for consumers to purchase is not “convenient”.
"In Lidong, I want to buy some leeks for dumplings, but you see this bag of leeks is only 250 grams, I only take two bags for a catty. I think it’s better to take as many leeks as you need, simple, and you can also see leeks. Is it fresh?" A consumer told reporters.
I saw a baby vegetable, an eggplant, a papaya and other fruits and vegetables on the vegetable shelf. Many of them were wrapped in a sponge net and then covered with plastic film; in front of the banana counter, the reporter found that one piece was only 120 Grams of bananas are also individually packaged in a special plastic bag.
"Excessive packaging is too wasteful," a customer told reporters that she often came to the supermarket to buy groceries. "Every time I buy groceries, I go home and take out a lot of boxes and bags. Not to mention adding a burden to garbage sorting. I feel distressed too."
The reporter reported the problem of excessive packaging to the staff in the supermarket. A staff member said that "some customers like to buy fruits and vegetables with packaging. This is done to facilitate the purchase."
The problem of packaging waste is also very common in some vegetable markets.
In a vegetable market in Nancheng, the reporter saw that although many fruits and vegetables are not individually packaged, they are placed in rolls of plastic bags in front of the vegetable stalls. Some citizens only choose five or six kinds of fruits and vegetables. , Regardless of the quantity, each is put into a plastic bag.
The reporter also saw that even if some people do not use plastic bags, they only put a small amount of vegetables such as a green onion, two garlics, and even a few coriander on the weighing table. The staff in the store will still use plastic bags to sort these vegetables. Bagging, "These plastic bags are not charged. It is estimated that the staff will post prices and check out for the convenience of the staff." Ms. Qin, who is shopping here, told reporters that every time she enters the market, even if she can't buy a few dishes, it takes more than a dozen. A plastic bag, "These plastic bags are difficult to re-use, every time they take out the vegetables, they can only be thrown away." Zhang Shuling, Ma Xin
Reporter's Notes
Everyone will participate in the green Double Eleven
While "Chop Hand Double Eleven" brings people the pleasure of consumption, it also brings environmental problems such as excessive packaging and increased garbage.
The reporter deeply felt during the interview that the refusal of excessive packaging should start from three aspects: first, merchants should comply with regulations and responsibilities; second, the government should strengthen supervision, and third, consumers should actively respond.
"Three-pronged approach" to incorporate the management of excessive packaging into the green environmental protection system.
Businessmen who design product packaging should undoubtedly bear the main responsibility.
Whether it is an e-commerce or a supermarket, the fancy over-packing is actually just making the product look like it has nothing to do with the quality of the goods sold.
Excessive packaging to show the exquisite products will only increase the burden on consumers and white waste.
As Ms. Ma, who once reported excessive packaging to the market supervision department, said, "The'clean vegetable market' we call for is to let businesses clean up rotten vegetable leaves and soil before selling, not to add layers of packaging." Whether to make packaging more environmentally friendly or to promote packaging reuse, companies should actively take responsibility, increase the research and development and promotion of new technologies and new materials, and effectively promote energy conservation and emission reduction.
As market regulators, government departments should keep a close watch, step up investigations, and enforce strict law enforcement. They should not allow excessive packaging just because of the company’s “for the convenience of consumers shopping”.
In addition, government departments should also find ways to improve incentive policies and encourage all parties to participate in energy conservation and environmental protection.
Consumers should also actively respond to the green and environmental protection propositions, and categorize the unpacked express parcels according to the requirements.
For express boxes with recycling channels, don’t take the trouble to take one step further and help them recycle.
For unenvironmentally friendly behaviors such as excessive packaging, they can take the initiative to express their opinions and suggestions.
The more environmental protection sounds, the less wasteful behavior.
According to related reports, my country's express delivery industry consumes more than 9 million tons of paper waste and 1.8 million tons of plastic waste each year, showing a rapid growth trend.
From "plastic limit" to "garbage classification", the road to environmental protection is still very long.
But once you have started, you must not give up.
It is encouraging that at present, relevant market supervision, postal and other departments have incorporated the rejection of excessive packaging into the eco-environmental protection system, requiring the use of new technologies and new materials, so that packaging can embark on a green and sustainable development path.
Our reporter Zhang Shuling