According to the statistics of the State Post Bureau, the volume of express delivery in China has increased from 5.7 billion to 108.3 billion in the past ten years. With such a huge amount of express parcels, the packaging waste can not be properly and correctly treated, which will cause great pollution to the environment. In recent years, the problem of express packaging waste has also become a topic of concern to the country and the society.
The country has long been deploying the green transformation of express packaging. In 2020, the State Council issued the "Notice on Accelerating the Green Transformation of Express Packaging", which put forward clear objectives in three dimensions: second packaging of e-commerce express, application of recyclable express packaging, package reduction and new green recycling mode, and deployed four major actions: strengthening green governance of express packaging, promoting application of recyclable express packaging, standardizing recovery and disposal of express packaging waste, strengthening standardized management of e-commerce express delivery, and improving laws, regulations and standard systems, improving support and guarantee system, and strengthening organization.
In December, 2021, the State Post Bureau, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, issued the Notice on Organizing the Pilot Application of Recyclable Express Packaging, requesting to explore and form a number of replicable, scalable and sustainable application modes of recyclable express packaging. Promote a batch of recyclable express packaging products that are easy to use, low in cost, green and low in carbon.
In addition, the State Post Bureau has previously stated that it will urge other provincial bureaus to formulate and implement a three-year action plan to ensure that by the end of 2025, the nationwide postal express outlets will prohibit the use of non-degradable plastic bags, plastic tapes, disposable plastic woven bags, etc.
To realize the green and circular development of express packaging, we should actively coordinate large-scale logistics and warehousing centers and e-commerce service operators to reduce over-packaging and promote degradable packaging materials in express delivery; E-commerce enterprises should start with the data center, office buildings, logistics and transportation, packaging, warehousing and suppliers, set a full range of carbon reduction targets, and define the path and schedule of emission reduction. At the same time, create a good atmosphere of green packaging, and improve the standard system of recyclable express boxes, including standardization of manufacturing materials, size and technology.
