31 provinces have issued relevant implementation plans or action plans for plastic pollution control-
Are you ready for the "plastic ban"
Our reporter Xiong Li
With the official landing of the "plastic ban", "big plastic users" such as supermarkets and takeaways across the country have begun to introduce plastic reduction measures and transition measures.
Experts said that the treatment of plastic pollution involves all aspects. The recycling and disposal of biodegradable plastic bags must have corresponding supporting systems, which require a certain adaptation time. The key categories and key places should be grasped first, and certain experience should be formed before gradual promotion. Advance the treatment of plastic pollution in an orderly manner.
At the beginning of 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Treatment of Plastic Pollution", which is divided into three time periods: 2020, 2022, and 2025, and clarified the phased tasks and objectives of strengthening the treatment of plastic pollution.
By 2020, take the lead in banning and restricting the production, sales and use of some plastic products in some regions and areas.
The newly revised Solid Waste Law that came into effect on September 1, 2020 has also strengthened the relevant requirements for plastic pollution control and clarified the legal responsibilities for related violations.
From January 1 this year, the "plastic ban" came into effect. Are all parties ready?
Supermarkets switch to biodegradable plastic bags
The reporter combed and found that 31 provinces have released relevant implementation plans or action plans for plastic pollution control.
Taking Beijing as an example, the "Beijing Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2020-2025)" focuses on six key industries including catering, takeaway platforms, wholesale and retail, e-commerce express delivery, accommodation, exhibition, and agricultural production, and strengthens plastic reduction efforts.
Among them, for the catering industry, it is required that by the end of 2020, the city’s catering industry bans the use of non-degradable disposable plastic straws, non-degradable plastic bags for take-out (including dine-in packaging) services in built-up areas, and dine-in services in built-up areas and scenic spots. Non-degradable disposable plastic tableware.
"From January 1, 2021, all shopping bags sold in our supermarket are biodegradable shopping bags. Large bags are 1.2 yuan each, and small bags are 6 corners. If necessary, please buy at the cashier." January 5 The reporter came to the Meilianmei Supermarket on Ande Road, Xicheng District, Beijing. The supermarket broadcast was rolling out relevant reminders.
Biodegradable plastic bags are placed in supermarket checkout counters and self-scanning checkout areas with prices marked.
Among the more than 30 customers who checked out, most of them used their own non-woven shopping bags, and some customers pushed the goods to the supermarket outlet and then loaded them into the shopping trailer.
"In recent years, many customers have become accustomed to using recyclable shopping bags." The relevant person in charge of Wumart Group told reporters that all Wumart Group's stores and delivery in Beijing and Tianjin have been replaced with biodegradable plastic bags.
Judging from the implementation in recent days, the sales volume of chargeable plastic bags has declined compared with the past, but it is not yet obvious.
The reporter saw in a Wal-Mart supermarket near Xuanwumen in Beijing that the cash register and self-service cashier are also equipped with biodegradable shopping bags.
There are also eye-catching words posted in front of the checkout counter, calling on customers to take environmental bags and be a "plastic reduction" action.
It is worth noting that the food and beverage delivery sector is also promoting plastic restrictions.
The person in charge of Meituan Food Delivery said that Meituan will leverage its advantages in connecting merchants and users, integrate industry resources, and coordinate upstream and downstream industries to jointly promote the development of environmental protection in the industry.
In terms of packaging reduction, in addition to launching the "No tableware" option, Meituan Takeaway has removed ordinary plastic packaging bags and straws in the merchant service market, and has established an environmental protection zone, introduced diversified environmental protection packaging suppliers, and continued to expand environmental protection packaging Product supply.
Significant increase in orders for biodegradable straws
By the end of 2020, non-degradable disposable plastic straws will be banned nationwide in the catering industry.
Can I still drink drinks happily in the future?
Wang Jianhui, head of the McDonald’s Public Relations Department in Beijing, told reporters that since June 30, 2020, in nearly a thousand McDonald’s restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, consumers can already drink cold drinks without solids directly through the new lid. .
At present, Beijing McDonald's restaurant has implemented relevant policy requirements, discontinuing all plastic straws, replacing beverage packaging bags with biodegradable plastic bags, and using wooden cutlery for dine-in disposable tableware.
In addition to the solution for drinking cup lids, there are two main types of degradable straws commonly promoted in the market: one is a paper straw; the other is a polylactic acid (PLA) straw, which is generally emulsified with starch-based materials It has good biodegradability.
In addition, stainless steel straws and bamboo straws are also optional alternatives.
When the reporter visited Luckin Coffee, Starbucks, Little Milk Tea and other branded beverage stores, they found that disposable plastic straws are no longer provided, but replaced with paper straws or biodegradable plastic straws.
On the evening of January 4, when the reporter interviewed Li Erqiao, general manager of Zhejiang Yiwu Shuangtong Commodity Co., Ltd., he was busy coordinating the production capacity of straws.
As a leading company in the straw industry, Shuangtong can currently provide domestic and foreign customers with polylactic acid straws, paper straws, stainless steel straws and other products.
"Recently, the number of orders received by the factory has shown explosive growth, and the orders have been scheduled to April." Li Erqiao said that before the implementation of the "plastic ban", although Shuangtong reminded customers, many customers were on the sidelines. Status, insufficient stocking in advance, causing the current order to "crash".
"At present, most of the company's production capacity has been invested in the production of biodegradable straws, and some employees engaged in the production of ordinary plastic straws have been adjusted to the biodegradable product production line, thereby expanding the number of equipment startups."
"At present, we can supply about 30 tons of degradable products per day, and we will continue to expand our production capacity in the future." Li Erqiao said that the Spring Festival is approaching, and many customers have to stock up in advance. It is expected that orders will continue to increase in the future.
Orderly promote plastic consumption reduction
The reporter learned during the interview that the cost and user experience of alternative products have become important considerations for companies to choose.
Taking straws as an example, the raw material price of ordinary plastic straws is about 8,000 yuan per ton, the raw materials of polylactic acid straws are nearly 40,000 yuan per ton, and the raw materials of paper straws are about 22,000 yuan per ton. The price is equivalent to twice that of plastic straws. three times.
In terms of experience, paper straws are not easy to stick into the parafilm without being soaked; some even smell of pulp or glue, which seriously affects the taste of the drink itself.
Polylactic acid straws are easy to decompose and the product life cycle is relatively short.
Li Erqiao said that from the perspective of customer needs, there are more polylactic acid straws in the catering market, and the experience is better.
The channel market chooses paper straws more because of the longer shelf life.
"At this stage, the cost of biodegradable plastics will be higher, but it is still within an acceptable range." said Liu Jianguo, a professor at the School of Environment of Tsinghua University. With the expansion of the production capacity of biodegradable plastics and the improvement of technology, large-scale production will be formed in the future Later, production costs will decrease.
It is worth noting that the "plastic ban" this time highlights the characteristics of systemicity, coordination and order, and it is advanced step by step and by field.
For example, for the bazaar, the use of non-degradable plastic bags is regulated and restricted, rather than prohibited.
The reporter learned during the visit that some vegetable markets, street breakfast shops, small supermarkets, etc. still use ordinary plastic bags.
Even roll bags commonly found in the fresh vegetable section of supermarkets are not included in this prohibition.
"As ordinary plastic bags are banned, we are continuing to observe whether the waste of roll-to-roll bags will increase significantly than before, and follow-up will make corresponding adjustments." The relevant person in charge of Wumart Group said that the roll-to-roll bags are still open for use and have not yet been discovered Obvious waste phenomenon.
Liu Jianguo said that plastic pollution control involves all aspects, and the recycling and disposal of biodegradable plastic bags must have corresponding supporting systems, which require a certain amount of time to adapt.
Therefore, we must first grasp the key categories and key places, develop certain experience, and then gradually promote it in order to promote the treatment of plastic pollution in an orderly manner.