Zhejiang Moves Green Certification Forward, Targets Over 10% Tape-Free Cartons by 2023

Zhejiang recently held an on-site promotion meeting on green product certification for express packaging. At the meeting, the province made clear it will fully advance implementation of the green product certification system for express packaging and aims to complete the supporting standards and implementation supervision system for green express packaging by the end of 2023.

An official from the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Market Regulation said the province's express delivery industry has grown rapidly in recent years, with parcel volume and business revenue both holding second place nationwide. State Post Bureau statistics show that Zhejiang's express delivery volume reached 17.95 billion pieces in 2020, accounting for 21.5% of the national total. On average, each resident received five parcels per week, giving the province the highest per capita express volume in the country. This daily flow requires enormous amounts of express packaging and creates substantial packaging waste.

Guided by the development philosophy that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and the Zhejiang Provincial Government have directed the province to vigorously promote green product certification and encourage the purchase and use of green products. Results have been strong: to date, Zhejiang has more than 700 green product certification certificates of various types, including seven green product certification certificates for express packaging, representing 24.1% of the national issuance volume.

This year, eight departments, including the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Market Regulation and the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission, jointly issued the Implementation Opinions on Strengthening Standardization for Green Express Packaging. The document sets a goal that by the end of 2022, green models such as express packaging reduction, green recycling, and green logistics will be widely adopted. By the end of 2023, the supporting standards and implementation supervision system for green packaging in the express delivery industry will be fully established, supporting significant progress in reducing, greening, and making express packaging recyclable. At that time, non-degradable plastic tape will be fully banned at postal and express outlets within the province, the use rate of recyclable express transfer bags will exceed 90%, and tape-free cartons will account for more than 10% of total carton usage.

Products currently eligible for green product certification for express packaging include envelopes, packaging boxes, packaging bags, container bags, electronic waybills, plant-based fillers, plastic fillers, suspended fastening packaging, tape, and reusable express packaging, among others.

—Reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-378108.html