New regulations on packaging reduction for online shopping will come into effect tomorrow (July 1). If the material or weight is overweight or unqualified, a fine of 30,000 to 150,000 yuan can be imposed. The Environmental Protection Agency will work with local governments to target large businesses with a capital of more than 150 million yuan for inspection. It is understood that well-known e-commerce companies such as PChome, MOMO, Uni-President, and Bloglai are all listed on the Beijing City inspection list for the second half of the year. In response to the new regulations, some operators have taken the lead in developing and upgrading smart logistics systems, which can automatically recommend packaging materials and proactively warn of overweight packaging.
7/1 New regulations on reducing packaging materials for online shopping are on the road. Packaging materials and weights are regulated.
According to statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency, my country will consume 220 million online shopping packages in 2021, with a total weight of 57,000 metric tons, and this number is expected to double in 2030. In order to avoid excessive consumption of packaging materials, the "Internet Shopping Packaging Restriction Targets and Implementation Methods" were announced at the beginning of this year (2023). Starting from tomorrow (July 1), online shopping cartons must contain more than 90% recycled paper, plastic bags must contain more than 25% recycled plastic, and PVC materials are completely banned.
To avoid the waste caused by "thick and heavy boxes of light and small items", the Environmental Protection Department has also introduced a "packaging weight ratio" standard, which is divided into three levels according to the weight of the product. The "packaging material weight" must not exceed the "packaging material + total product weight" 40% , 30%, 15%.
According to the announcement, businesses using PVC packaging materials (including tapes and buffer materials) will be fined 1,200 to 1,600 yuan. If the proportion of recycled materials and packaging weight ratio of packaging materials do not meet the regulations, a fine of 30,000 to 150,000 yuan will be imposed. If the penalty is not changed within the time limit, the penalty will be on a daily basis. In serious cases, work, business or business must be suspended. The new regulations for online shopping of packaging materials are limited to operators with exclusive online websites and do not currently apply to individual sellers on online shopping platforms.
The Environmental Protection Department's new regulations on "Internet Shopping Packaging Restrictions and Implementation Methods". Image source: provided by the Environmental Protection Agency
Lin Qunkai, an inspector from the Resource Recycling Management Section of the Taipei City Environmental Protection Bureau, said that there are a total of 152 large-scale operators, 63 medium-sized operators, and more than 5,000 other online retailers in Taipei City; well-known e-commerce companies such as PChome, MOMO, Uni-President, and Bloglai. All are on the Beijing City's annual inspection list. Starting from the second half of this year, the Environmental Protection Agency's Recycling and Infrastructure Management Committee will lead a team and the Environmental Protection Bureau will accompany the inspection of large-scale operators' unified warehouses. From 2024 and 2025, local governments will be responsible for it, and the target will be expanded to medium-sized operators; starting from 2026, it will cover all e-commerce players.
PChome packaging line intelligent system lights up red light to warn of overweight
In response to the Environmental Protection Agency's new "packaging weight ratio" regulations, the PChome Internet Family (PChome), a member of the "Online Shopping Packaging Reduction Alliance", has made full preparations. In PChome's unified warehouse, the length, width, height, and weight of each product are recorded in the database. The system uses "volume" [1] to find the most suitable carton for a single or multiple products; although manual confirmation is still required. , but the accuracy can reach 60%.
Huang Yuchun, senior director of the warehousing and logistics department, said that the company developed an "automatic box number recommendation system" with reference to Amazon in 2019. It has recently been improved and updated in response to new domestic regulations, and has incorporated smart systems such as weight warnings, which can not only recommend suitable items based on product weight. The weight detection equipment for buffer materials, cartons, and conveyor belts can also determine the proportion of packaging in the overall package box by box. "If it is overweight, the red light will light up, and the green light will indicate that it can be released." Unqualified packages will be handed over to the packer for repacking.
Recycling packaging materials promotes four-year utilization rate but still has difficulty improving
The "Online Shopping Packaging Reduction Alliance" has been promoting the recycling of bags for four years. Huang Yuchun observed that the effectiveness of public use and recycling has always been poor, because consumers have not yet established a habit. "Even if there is a recycling point in the convenience store downstairs, it is one more action for consumers."
However, this time the Environmental Protection Agency requires the use rate of recycled boxes and bags to be increased year by year, and businesses that fail to meet the standards will be fined. How to break through the dilemma? Huang Yuchun said that the first priority is how to "motivate consumers to use recyclable bags." He revealed that if consumers choose to send recyclable bags, the PChome platform will provide discounts as incentives, and he looks forward to establishing an ecosystem in the future.
Mr. Cai from Taipei, who frequently shops online, agrees: "If this thing (recycled packaging material) has a discount like the (bring your own) eco-friendly cup, it will be more attractive for me to choose to use it."
Information source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/237094)
