After dismantling the express packaging, what will happen to the recycling of express cartons has gradually become a fashion

Where to go after unpacking the express package

　　The recycling of express cartons is becoming a trend, and some enterprises are promoting recyclable packaging boxes, plastic packaging production and recycling links still need to be optimized

After the citizens pick up the express, they put the unused cardboard boxes into the green recycling box in the station.

A reporter from a courier outlet saw that plastic bags still account for a certain proportion.

　　With the continuous increase in the consumption popularity of "Double 11", the volume of express parcels is also showing a blowout trend, "piling up like a mountain" in various express delivery outlets.

According to a report released by the State Post Bureau, in 2021, my country's express delivery business will complete 108.3 billion pieces, with an average daily express processing volume of nearly 300 million pieces.

The prosperity of e-commerce and logistics industry has made Chinese people enjoy a more convenient life. At the same time, many express by-products have also been produced, such as cartons, plastic packaging bags, foam plastics, sealing tapes, etc.

If these by-products cannot be properly handled, it is easy to cause environmental problems, and this has also become a "pain point" that plagues the development of the industry.

　　The reporter's investigation found that many e-commerce and logistics companies are now actively piloting the reuse of express packaging boxes.

Some companies claim that through recycling, half of consumers will use old cartons when sending express delivery at express delivery sites; in addition, various types of plastic packaging used in the express delivery industry are still difficult problems to be solved.

The State Post Bureau stated that before the end of 2025, postal express outlets nationwide will ban the use of non-degradable plastic packaging bags, plastic tapes, and disposable plastic woven bags.

In the next three years, how express packaging will be more conducive to recycling and more environmentally friendly, it is urgent to solve the problem.

　　Text and photos/Wu Wei, an all-media reporter of Guangzhou Daily (except for signature)

Site site: Reuse of express cartons is common

　　Approaching "Double 11", the reporter visited and found that the recycling of express cartons has gradually become a fashion.

Nowadays, at the entrance of many express delivery stations in the city, a relatively large recycling bag is often placed. After customers take out the items from the express delivery at the station, many people will throw the cartons into the recycling bags. After these cartons are processed, the next It is recycled by customers who come to the site for express delivery.

　　Outside the Cainiao Station on the University Town Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, the reporter saw that many students threw the cardboard box into a large green box with the words "Recycling" written on it after taking out the items in the package. was stuffed to the brim.

　　Zhang, a college student who was dismantling the courier, told the reporter: "Most of the courier cartons can be reused as long as they are not damaged. This is both environmentally friendly and economical. As long as disinfection is done well, they can be recycled. Everyone knows that the production of cartons will consume trees. And energy, these are valuable resources, and my classmates and I are very supportive of this approach.”

　　However, Zhang also said that there are still some inconveniences in recycling express cartons: "For example, when receiving express delivery at the inn, I saw many people who did not rip off the white communication link with their name and contact information, and some When people tear off the sealing tape or the communication link, the carton is easily torn apart, which makes the box unable to be reused. These still need to be solved. After all, we must protect our privacy and facilitate the customers who use the carton later."

　　During the investigation of other stations in the city, the reporter found that some outlets would persuade citizens to leave express cartons for recycling by delivering eggs.

"From our statistics, Guangzhou ranks among the top ten in terms of the number of green returns and green shipments in the country. On the one hand, it shows that there are many service sites, which are convenient for everyone to participate in recycling, and on the other hand, it also shows that Guangzhou citizens participate in the recycling. The enthusiasm for green recycling is high. During the 'Double 11' period this year, we expect that half of the parcels in the Cainiao Station will use the old express packaging." The relevant person in charge of Cainiao Wrapping told reporters.

　　In many postal outlets in the city, the recycling of express cartons is also very common.

The relevant person in charge of Guangzhou Post introduced that since 2018, the company has gradually deployed waste packaging recycling devices in its business outlets across the city. It is expected that by the end of 2022, the city's 312 business outlets will be fully covered by waste packaging recycling devices, and it is expected to recycle and reuse corrugated boxes 65 Thousands.

　　According to the State Post Bureau, as of the end of September this year, the proportion of the whole industry in purchasing and using standard packaging materials and standardized packaging operations has reached 90%, and 122,000 recycling devices have been installed in postal express business investment outlets to recycle and reuse corrugated paper. There are 640 million boxes, and the green management of express packaging has achieved initial results.

Home delivery, large home appliance cartons still rely on traditional waste recycling

　　In reality, it is only one of many scenarios for consumers to come to the outlet to get express delivery.

The reporter found that when the distance from the outlet is relatively far and the goods are relatively large, the express packaging is still mainly circulated and recycled in the form of waste recycling.

　　In the early stage of "Double 11", the reporter purchased several large appliances. After the installation was completed, the reporter contacted Aunt Dong, who has been collecting waste products near her home for a long time.

After a while, Aunt Dong rode an electric tricycle to the downstairs of the community. She told reporters that the number of cartons collected during the recent period had doubled compared to the past. Now I can collect two or three hundred kilograms a day, and in a few days, it is estimated that more cartons will be recycled."

　　Aunt Dong received a total of 20 catties of cardboard boxes at the reporter's house, and gave the reporter 10 yuan at the price of 5 cents per catty.

I saw that she skillfully flattened, folded, and compacted the carton, and the carton was torn into many holes as a result; she also bundled the remaining styrofoam together for packaging, "It doesn't matter if the carton is broken or not, anyway. Later, it will be sold by the pound at the waste recycling station." She told reporters that the current price of the receiving box has dropped. "In the past, it was more than 1 yuan per pound to sell to the recycling station, but now it sells at most 80 cents."

　　Where did the waste cartons end up?

Manager Tan of Sui Recycling Platform told reporters that usually, waste paper boxes are finally transported to waste paper mills, and recycled paper is made through a series of processes such as shredding, cleaning and pulping, and then flows to their respective markets according to different uses. Although regeneration is also recycled, this process must consume a lot of water, electricity and other resources.”

　　So, how will the foam in the carton be recycled?

Relevant professionals told reporters that the currently recycled waste foam plastic can be made into renewable foam plastic through strong extrusion and high temperature hot melting, and then sold to downstream disposal enterprises; in addition, foam plastic can be combined with other materials to make coatings , adhesives, additives, etc., "At present, the technology is mature, and the most critical issue is to continuously improve the recycling network, such as continuously strengthening cooperation with the express delivery industry, and strengthening the liaison with residential waste recycling sites. Discarded in the environment, because its properties are stable, the quality is relatively light, and it does not rot or degrade, which will not only cause environmental pollution, but also cause waste of raw materials."

　　The relevant person in charge of Cainiao Wrapping told reporters: "The foam in the carton is mainly used for the packaging and filling of the secondary mail in the station, and it is provided to consumers for free."

Some companies have launched recyclable express boxes

　　The reporter also found in the investigation that in addition to recycling cartons, some express delivery companies have successively launched recyclable packaging boxes.

　　According to the relevant person in charge of SF Express, the company has independently developed and launched a recyclable packaging box since 2018, and will undergo a secondary upgrade in 2021.

The upgraded recycling box uses PP honeycomb sheet, a single material that is easier to recycle, and can also eliminate the use of consumable materials such as tape paper and zippers. The product will be put into pilot operation on July 1, 2021, and will be put into operation by the end of December 2021. 720,000 pieces have been put in, and 2.8 million cycles have been achieved.

　　According to media reports, in December 2017, JD Logistics launched a pilot recycle express box, which can be recycled more than 50 times under normal circumstances; in addition, in 2021, JD will use a total of more than 60 million recycle incubators, which is equivalent to reducing The use of the same number of disposable foam boxes.

　　Guangzhou Post told reporters that the company is also promoting the use of recyclable express boxes. By the end of this year, it is expected that the application scale of recyclable express boxes will reach 42,000.

　　But in reality, in addition to purchasing fresh products, the proportion of citizens using such recyclable express boxes is still relatively low.

Ni Huan, chairman of Jiangchuan Green Lightyear Environmental Service Center in Minhang District, Shanghai, has been engaged in the promotion of low-carbon environmental protection all year round. She believes that there are two main pain points to overcome when promoting both cartons and recyclable express boxes. The person in charge of the express delivery industry has discussed this issue, and we all think that the first difficulty to overcome is consumer psychology, after all, there are still many people who mind using boxes that others have used."

　　"The second pain point is the white communication link on the courier box. If it is to be recycled, the communication link must be torn off, but it is usually very tight and it is not easy to tear it off. For couriers, they The salary assessment is mainly based on the number of express delivery and delivery, so they are usually unwilling to do this thankless job. In general, this is also a common problem encountered by the global express delivery industry when it comes to recycling.” Ni Happy to say.

　　The reporter also learned that some foreign express companies are also improving the utilization rate of express packaging.

For example, DHL uses AI-optimized algorithms to help brands and retailers pack each package correctly at the right time, thereby reducing delivery costs; while Amazon says it will use less and lighter materials to pack items in the future , try to integrate and distribute multiple orders in a unified manner, thereby reducing vehicle fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

The market of plastic packaging materials continues to optimize

　　In addition to cartons and recyclable express boxes, plastic packaging bags are also often used in the express delivery industry.

This type of plastic bag mainly packs some relatively soft clothing and other items, and some plastic bags are put on the outside of the carton and paper bag to prevent the contents of the package from getting wet.

The reporter recently observed at express outlets and found that plastic packaging accounts for about 20% of the total number of parcels.

　　On October 14, the State Post Bureau held a regular press conference for the fourth quarter of 2022.

At the meeting, Guan Aiguang, deputy director of the Market Supervision Department of the State Post Bureau, said that the over-packaging of mail and express mail will be comprehensively strengthened, and the national plastic pollution control work will be implemented to ensure that by the end of 2025, postal express outlets nationwide will ban the use of non-degradable plastic packaging bags. , plastic tape, disposable plastic woven bags, etc.

　　In this regard, many express companies responded to reporters that they are actively reducing the use of plastics in express delivery.

Guangzhou Post said that the business outlets of Guangzhou Post have banned the use of non-degradable plastic packaging bags, disposable plastic woven bags, etc., and further reduced the use of non-degradable plastic tapes. In the next stage, fully degradable packaging products will be gradually replaced by degradable products. Packaging Supplies.

　　SF Express replied to the reporter that last year, the company launched the reduction, standardization and scene-based innovative development of 8 categories of materials including plastic bags, adhesive paper, stickers, and seals.

Under the premise of ensuring quality, plastic bags containing recycled materials have been put into pilot projects in 4 regions, and more than 10,000 rolls of reduced-viscosity paper in sub-scenarios have also been put into pilot projects; The research on express delivery scenarios and user scenarios has realized the refined modification and innovation of packaging material adaptation, reducing the use of base paper by about 34,000 tons and the use of plastics by about 6,200 tons.

　　So what is the current supply and price situation of compostable packaging bags?

Li Yulan, an industry insider and manager of the Plastics Network, told reporters: "The main component of degradable packaging bags is PBAT, and its cost is high, 1.5 to 2 times that of general non-degradable plastic bags. In addition, there are also pseudo-degradable materials on the market. In the face of chaos, in order to truly promote its use on a large scale, the key is to strengthen supervision.”

　　Speaking of degradable plastic tapes, Guangzhou Post replied to reporters that the company has "slimmed down" the tapes. At present, the width of plastic tapes has been changed from 60mm to 45mm, and the weight has been reduced by 25%. In addition, all postal tapes are currently degradable.

(Guangzhou Daily)