Food Packaging and Circular Economy (1)

Since the reform and opening up, China's economy has developed rapidly, and the packaging industry (including food packaging) has also developed rapidly. At the same time, the consumption of resources and energy and the pollution of the environment have reached a level that cannot be ignored. The development of a circular economy and the establishment of a conservation-oriented economic development model have become issues that have to be considered from the leaders to the masses.

This article only gives a personal opinion on the issues of food packaging and circular economy.

Food Packaging Development and Problems

1. Basic requirements for food packaging

Food has been inseparable from packaging since it formed products and industrialized production. The basic requirements for food packaging are:

A: For storage and transportation, the ratio of the weight (or volume) of the package to the total weight (or volume) should not be too large;
B. Minimize the loss of the original performance of the food and avoid the loss of the original nutrient content and flavor of the food due to transportation and storage;
C. Does not bring extra harm and avoid deterioration or corruption of food caused by improper packaging;
n Increase consumer's sense of enjoyment, increase beauty, stimulate consumer's desire to buy;
E. Reasonable prices, so that consumers spend money to buy mainly food rather than packaging:

The requirements of the above aspects can be summarized as: ensuring food safety and stimulating consumers' desire to purchase.

2. Problems with the development of food packaging

In order to meet the above requirements, various forms of packaging materials and packaging forms have been developed. However, it also brings serious problems such as the consumption of resources and energy and the pollution of the environment. According to statistics from Germany in 1984, packaging waste accounted for about 10% of domestic waste (by weight); according to statistics from Shanghai, packaging waste accounts for about 30% of urban household waste.

China's packaging industry has made the problem worse due to its small scale, extensive production, and lack of awareness of conservation.

A. A lot of resources are consumed. 80% of packaging industry products are used once and become waste after use. The secondary utilization of resources is only 1/4 to 1/3 of that of developed countries.

B. Serious pollution. According to statistics, packaging waste accounts for 1/3 of the city's waste and increases at an annual rate of 18%.

The consumption of resources and energy can be divided into two parts: reasonable consumption and waste, the former refers to the consumption required to ensure the tomb requirements of food packaging under current technical conditions, and the latter refers to wasted consumption due to excessive packaging and unreasonable packaging. .

According to foreign customs, food packaging can be divided into several parts: sales packaging, transport packaging, display packaging or secondary packaging. Product packaging refers to packages that directly contact foods, such as beverage bottles, milk packaging, etc.; transport packaging refers to packages used to ensure the safety of food transportation, such as steel drums, containers, trays, cardboard boxes, foam packaging materials, shrink films, and wrapping tapes. Etc.; display packaging or secondary packaging refers to packaging used to facilitate sales, advertising, and theft, such as covering plastic film, cardboard boxes, foamed materials, etc.

Regardless of the kind of food packaging, it will consume considerable resources and energy, and its packaging waste will constitute solid waste, causing pollution to the environment. At present, as no relevant laws and regulations have been introduced, the consequences of pollution are entirely borne by society. Due to lack of funds, urban waste disposal is currently mainly solved by landfill methods. Not only does it take up a large amount of available land, it also causes further pollution of soil and water sources. If this situation continues, the living space for our offspring will become smaller and smaller, and the further development of our country’s economy will be seriously affected.

3. Way out

The development of circular economy, the establishment of a conservation-oriented society, and the proper resolution of environmental pollution are the best way out for the sustainable development of food packaging. To do this should:

A. Establish complete laws, regulations, implementation rules and standards;
B. Establish a sound circular economy civil society organization;
C. Various industry organizations control the development of over-packaging and disposable packaging through industry standards and industry self-regulation. Recycling transport packaging and secondary packaging.
D. Vigorously carry out publicity and education to change people's ideas. Promote awareness of conservation, awareness of sustainable development, and awareness of self-discipline in moral behavior.
R. The formation of social ethos should combine the implementation of laws and ordinances and publicity and education, and persist for a long time.