Investigation of new regulations on plastic bans and restrictions in the Yangtze River Delta: multi-party efforts are still needed to advance the implementation

After the introduction of the most strictly prohibited plastic restriction regulations in history, various provinces in China have taken actions, putting forward phased goals and systemic governance requirements

New regulations for bans and restrictions on plastics proceed smoothly

The "Report" shows that consumers in the Yangtze River Delta have a very high degree of awareness and support for the "banned and restricted plastics", and 92.

Third-party research shows that Chinese consumers have gradually transformed the concept of green sustainable consumption into practical actions, and this trend is even more pronounced in the Yangtze River Delta

In the retail catering market within the Yangtze River Delta, the new regulations on plastic bans and restrictions have basically achieved full coverage

The consumer protection committees in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces surveyed 1,640 companies on the spot.

According to industry insiders, the global packaging market’s demand for degradable plastics will reach 9.

When the consumer protection committees of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui province investigated plastic bag manufacturers, they found that more than 90% of the production capacity of some companies had begun to adjust and shifted to the production of paper bags and biodegradable plastic bags

A person in charge of a plastic bag manufacturer told reporters that in the next 3-5 years, biodegradable plastic bags are expected to partially replace ordinary plastic products.

There are 3 blocking points in the implementation of the new regulations

According to the relevant person in charge of the Zhejiang Provincial Consumer Protection Committee, the survey found that consumers still need education in the new rules and regulations on the prohibition and restriction of plastics, and consumption habits need to be cultivated

The "Report" shows that although the Yangtze River Delta interviewees' awareness of "bans and restrictions on plastics" has reached 92.

The "Report" also shows that before the implementation of the new plastic ban, only 14.

In addition, from three detailed surveys of "non-woven eco-friendly bags", "food delivery" and "paper straws", it is found that consumers have a weak experience of the current biodegradable alternatives

Through interviews with experts, professional institutions and plastic bag manufacturers, the research team of the "Report" found that degradable plastics can be divided into biodegradable, photodegradable, thermal and oxygen degradable, compostable, etc.

In addition, small merchants and consumers also encounter the dilemma of insufficient capacity in purchasing biodegradable plastic bags

Still need to work together

The Yangtze River Delta Consumer Protection Committee Alliance suggested that the promotion of the new regulations on plastic bans and restrictions can be further increased from "concept introduction" to "knowledge popularization", so that consumers can master the necessary knowledge of plastic bans and restrictions

According to reports, the new regulations for bans and restrictions on plastics are designed and formulated from the perspective of production and use companies, limiting industries, subdivided categories and setting the time points for prohibitions and restrictions, and the content is complicated and strict

The Union of Consumer Protection Commission of the Yangtze River Delta suggested that it is necessary to actively create favorable conditions for the consumer side to help the implementation of the new regulations on bans and restrictions on plastics, clean up and merge all kinds of "degradable" signs, so that consumers and small businesses can choose to buy degradable plastic products; set up accessible Special signs for food plastic bags are convenient for consumers to identify
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At the same time, multiple measures are taken to promote the quality and upgrading of related industries, and innovate and better environmentally friendly products to meet the consumer needs of different scenarios
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If plastic products want to achieve source reduction, recycling, recycling, and environmentally friendly disposal, efforts must be made from all aspects of production, circulation, use, recycling, and disposal, and all parties must work together
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The Consumer Protection Commission of the Yangtze River Delta Coalition suggested that, first, the consumer industry, which uses a large amount of non-degradable plastics, should bear the environmental costs through taxation and other means, and promote its transformation of development mode; The degree of degradability is the core of orderly competition; third, it is recommended that the government invest resources in researching more scientific and efficient methods for the detection and determination of degradable plastics, so as to break the supply blockage
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