"Degradable" can not contain PP, PE!

National Development and Reform Commission described "degradable" for the first time

The "Public Institutions Stop the Use of Non-degradable Disposable Plastic Products List (First Batch)" clearly stated that the use of non-degradable disposable plastic lunch boxes, non-degradable disposable plastic plastic tableware, non-degradable disposable plastic straws, disposable plastic water cups and drink cups, less than 0.

In order to eliminate the implementation confusion of public institutions, the document specifically stated in the form of a negative list that non-degradable materials refer to polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene -Non-biodegradable polymer materials such as vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Conversely, degradable materials cannot contain PE, PP, PS, PVC, EVA, PET

In other words, PE, PP, PS, PVC, EVA and PET are all non-biodegradable polymer materials

This is the first time that the National Development and Reform Commission has described "degradable", and it is also the first time that "non-degradable" has been clarified in the form of a negative list

The battle for degradation routes lasted for a whole year

The "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Treatment of Plastic Pollution" (Circular 80) on January 19, 2020 by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has become a guiding document for the formulation and implementation of plastic pollution control regulations

Circular 80 requires the development and promotion of plastic products and alternative products that meet the standard, green and environmentally friendly, and economical and suitable for recycling, easy recycling, and degradability

However, Circular 80 does not provide a further definition of "degradable", which has also led to inconsistent or even very different documents and industry standards issued by local governments, associations, and industry alliances

The choice of big capital: biodegradable materials

In this regard, Ji Junhui, a researcher at the Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that the standards implemented by various provinces are now different, and the quality requirements are inconsistent between provinces, which will have a fatal blow to the industry

The industry Ji Junhui refers to is the biodegradable plastic industry

The Institute of Biodegradable Materials made a cost calculation for plastic bags in January (only the raw materials are calculated, click for details).

In comparison of costs, it is obvious that this is a life-and-death market, where you do not have me.

On November 25 last year, Sichuan (except Hainan) set a precedent, requiring provincial departments and public institutions to prohibit the use of disposable plastic products containing traditional plastics such as PE, PP, PS, PVC, and EVA

The State Administration of Management, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the Development and Reform Commission are now issuing documents requiring public institutions to stop using non-degradable disposable plastic products before the end of 2021

So why not implement all biodegradable standards across the board? The answer is that the production capacity cannot keep up.

The Institute of Biodegradable Materials once analyzed that it is very likely that some key cities, key industries, big brands, hypermarkets, and public institutions will implement full biodegradation first, while small businesses, suburbs, and rural areas will implement semi-degradation

This time window is likely to be the end of 2021
.
By then, the new version of the national standard GB/T 20197-202X, the definition of degradable plastics, should have landed
.

Prior to this, some policy makers have been concerned about "degradability".
They have issued documents that cherish ink as gold, rather than indiscriminately, let enterprises and associations test the waters and let the market test them.
This time, with the guidance of the three departments, the follow-up plastic pollution control may be relevant.
There are clearer measures
.
With public institutions as the vane, some companies that pay attention to brand image will also take the initiative to move closer to full degradation
.

In addition, some people in the industry believe that the central region will implement full biodegradation first, and the coastal regions will follow up
.

It seems that there is not much time left for the market to buffer
.

On March 11, there was a "China Biodegradable Material Technology and Application Forum" in Foshan, Guangdong.
It was held by the Guangdong Plastics Association and the Institute of Biodegradable Materials.
Guangdong is a province that consumes shopping bags, plastic tableware, and express packaging.
What will Guangdong do? In response, from this forum, you may be able to understand Guangdong's ideas
.