China tackles waste problem after Double 11 shopping frenzy

APD NEWS

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Following the Double 11 shopping festival, 10 departments including the State Post Bureau, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology jointly issued a guidance opinion on promoting green packaging in the express industry, Yicai.com reported.

According to the guiding opinion, the proportion of green packaging materials that can be degraded by 2020 will be increased to 50%. Packaging materials with excessive special substances such as heavy metals will be gradually phased out, and the special packing system for express packaging will be built up.

At present, the State Post Bureau has selected eight provinces and cities, as well as five enterprises to carry out pilot schemes for green packaging. The Ministry of Commerce has also selected more than 280 key enterprises and industries in 32 cities to conduct green logistics pilot projects.

“The idea of green express is very good, but we still need to rely on national laws to implement it,” Ma Zhanfeng, vice president of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association, told Yicai.com.

China’s e-commerce giants smashed their Double 11 record this year once again, with sales of merchandise sold by Alibaba affiliated platforms hitting an unprecedented US$25.3 billion in 24 hours, a 40% surge from a year ago.

(ASIA TIMES)