How about the implementation of the "Severe Plastic Restriction Order" for nearly half a year

How about the implementation of the "Severe Plastic Restriction Order" for nearly half a year

From January 1st of this year (2021), the Jiangxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control in Jiangxi Province". It is mentioned that by the end of 2020, Nanchang will be a built-up area. In shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores and other places, as well as food and beverage take-out services and various exhibition activities, the use of non-degradable plastic products is prohibited. This is called the "most stringent plastic restriction order." At present, the policy has been implemented for nearly half a year, how about the implementation of Nanchang merchants? Yesterday, the reporter randomly visited a number of large supermarkets, milk tea shops, convenience stores and farmer’s markets in Nanchang for investigation.

 Beverage shop

changed from paper straws to biodegradable straws

Before the "Severeest Plastic Restriction Order" was formally implemented, a reporter from the Morning News visited Nanchang's catering industry to implement the new regulations. The reporter found that paper straws became the "new favorite" of Nanchang's catering industry at that time. What is the situation now after nearly half a year? The reporter visited again.

Yesterday, the reporter investigated many well-known milk tea shops in Parkson B Hall, Zhongshan Road, Zhongshan Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, and Wandajin Street, Huizhan Road, Honggutan District, Nanchang. PLA degradable straws are used in milk tea shops such as Hey Tea, and a small number of milk tea shops also have paper straws. Fushimi Momoyama’s clerk told reporters that although paper straws and PLA biodegradable straws are placed in the store, the PLA biodegradable straws are closer to plastic straws and are more popular with consumers.

It turned out that many problems were discovered in the process of promoting paper straws. The quality of paper straws is uneven, and it is easy to soak softly and appear paper scraps, so consumers are frequently complaining about it. "When the paper straw is held, it is like a tree branch in the mouth. When taken out, it is like pulling the gauze from the wound. Come down." Some consumers said. In order to enhance consumers' sense of use, many businesses switch to PLA biodegradable straws.

So, what is the PLA degradable straw? Why become the new favorite of milk tea lovers?

     It is understood that PLA is a new type of degradable plastic, which is made from starch raw materials extracted from renewable plant resources (such as corn), and has good biodegradability.

The manager of the Coco Yiyuan Road store told reporters that the gloss, transparency, and feel of PLA straws are similar to those of plastic straws. At the same time, all indicators can meet the requirements of food safety regulations and can basically meet the needs of most beverages on the market. "Except for three or four times more expensive than plastic straws, there are no other problems. Because paper straws affect the taste of drinks, most businesses still choose PLA straws that are more expensive."

In addition, the reporter visited and found that the milk tea cups in Fushimi Momoyama, Nayuki's Tea, Coco and other milk tea shops were replaced with biodegradable cups, and the plastic spoons in Fushimi Momoyama shops were also replaced with wooden spoons. In Wanda Golden Street, a clerk of Yihetang said that currently the store still uses plastic cups, but will soon be replaced with biodegradable cups.

Supermarket

launched a variety of biodegradable shopping bags

In addition to beverage shops, supermarkets are also big consumers of plastic products. With the implementation of the "plastic restriction order", the industry has also made rectifications one after another. On June 8, the reporter visited retail, supermarkets and other service companies and found that companies with a certain scale of business actively implemented the "plastic limit" requirement and introduced biodegradable plastic products, cloth products, paper products, wood products and other products to replace ordinary disposable products. plastic products.

On the same day, the reporter visited Wanjia LIFE Convenience Supermarket in Parkson B Hall, Zhongshan Road, Donghu District, Nanchang City, China Resources Wanjia Supermarket in Wanda Plaza, Huizhan Road, Honggutan District, and Rainbow Shopping Mall on Lijing Road, and found that these supermarkets provide customers with Degradable shopping bags, consumers can buy biodegradable shopping bags or bring their own shopping bags.

It is worth noting that although the shopping bags at the cashier counters of some large supermarkets have been replaced by biodegradable shopping bags, there are still a large number of plastic tear-and-tear bags in the vegetable section and bulk weighing section of these supermarkets.

A cashier at Tianhong Shopping Center on Lijing Road told reporters that biodegradable plastic bags are divided into small, medium and large specifications, and the prices are 0.5 yuan, 0.8 yuan and 1 yuan respectively. "More and more people bring their own shopping bags. , But the shopping bags in the supermarket are still plastic and free, and some consumers will take plastic bags from them."

Large supermarkets have introduced biodegradable shopping bags such as bio-, paper-based and other biodegradable shopping bags, but some small supermarkets still "make my own way, I make plastic." Wangzhongwang Supermarket on Dazhou Road, Xihu District, Nanchang still provides ordinary plastic shopping bags. A clerk told reporters that although they have heard of the "plastic restriction order", they have not received a notice that they must use biodegradable plastic bags.

     At the Le Doujia convenience store in Wanda Plaza, Huizhan Road, Honggutan District, the reporter discovered that some of the consumers in the store had plastic bags in their hands and some were biodegradable shopping bags. A clerk said that the store provides free non-degradable plastic bags and charged degradable bags for consumers to choose from.

 Agricultural Market

 still use non-degradable plastic bags

 The reporter visited some farmer's markets, vegetable shops and fruit shops in Nanchang and found that these places are still using traditional non-degradable plastic bags. Regarding the requirements of the "plastic restriction order", some businesses think it is more difficult to implement.

When the reporter randomly asked several merchants whether they have biodegradable plastic shopping bags, they all gave negative answers, "That cost is high. It is impossible for us to sell vegetables to ask customers for a bag of money, which will affect our business." The merchant said.

     At the Qinyuan Farmer’s Market, Financial Street, Honggutan District, Nanchang, Ms. Chen, who lives nearby, is holding a bag of tomatoes and a bag of red peppers in her left hand, and 3 plastic bags in her right hand, containing cabbage, pork, and shiitake mushrooms. A large plastic bag was also covered, which means that Ms. Chen used 6 plastic bags in this purchase.

This kind of consumption may not be a big deal to a single consumer, but the superposition of the quantity is really unfriendly to some merchants with small profits but quick turnover.

 During a visit to the farmer’s market, the reporter found that some consumers would prepare their own shopping bags or pull a "grocery cart".

　In addition, the reporter's investigation found that traditional non-degradable plastic bags are still sold in large quantities in some wholesale markets.

　Related departments

　Plastic pollution control is a long-term project

　How to implement the "plastic limit order"? When will it be fully implemented?

　In this regard, the reporter interviewed the Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of Nanchang Development and Reform Commission. The staff said that the relevant departments have started interviews with the manufacturers of plastic products that they currently know, but there are many "small workshop" manufacturers that are not included in the scope of supervision, and it is difficult to control the plastic products flowing out of these places.

Plastic pollution control cannot be accomplished overnight. It is a complex, long-term and arduous systematic project. The "Implementation Plan for Strengthening the Treatment of Plastic Pollution in Jiangxi Province" stipulates that by the end of 2020, the catering industry in the province bans the use of non-degradable disposable plastic straws in restaurants, hotels and other places; by the end of 2022, the use of non-degradable disposable plastic tableware is prohibited The scope of implementation has been expanded to include catering services in built-up counties and scenic spots; by the end of 2025, the consumption intensity of non-degradable disposable plastic tableware in the food and beverage delivery areas of the districts and cities will be reduced by 30%. It is still worth looking forward to how the "plastic restriction order" is gradually advanced and made sound.