21st Century Green Packaging World

New Packaging Trend: Emerging "Green Revolution"
The world revolution in science and technology has not only brought about rapid development for social productivity, but also created tremendous material wealth for humanity. At the same time, it has also caused serious pollution to the ecological environment. In the long historical period, people abused the predatory nature of resources, resulting in a large amount of waste, waste gas, and waste water, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and plant protection agents, which caused serious damage to the ecological environment. Among these, the packaging industry is one of the important industries that cause pollution. In order to solve the pollution problem in the packaging industry, the packaging industry in the developed countries is embarking on a "green revolution."
"Green revolution" is a major change in the world packaging industry, and it is also a major trend in the development of the packaging industry in the new century. This kind of change is the inevitable result of adapting to environmental protection and saving resources in all aspects of concepts, materials, production, and consumption. The main contents of the “green revolution” in the packaging industry include: reducing non-essential consumption, repairing old waste, providing renewable products, stressing economic benefits and ecological benefits, not using products that pollute the environment, destroy natural and wildlife, and comply with equality and Ethical principles do not use non-ethical marketing and products that do not use non-human animal testing.
Now, more and more countries and regions have taken effective measures to carry out the "green revolution" of the packaging industry. In particular, governments and non-government organizations in various countries have taken joint actions to jointly prevent environmental pollution in the packaging industry and the entire environment. More and more consumers welcome and purchase products with the “Environmental Protection Mark”. The Swedish National Consumer Council conducted an environmental awareness survey of all citizens and interviewed more than 1,000 Swedish citizens. According to surveys, nearly one-third of Swedes are actively looking for and buying products that have the “green mark” or “environmental sign”. Almost half of Swedes spend more than 20% on environmentally-friendly products.
Entry Pass: Take "Green Mark"
From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, the developed countries focused on promoting the "passport" of products "into the market" - the "green sign." In order to protect the environment, many countries have gradually promoted the "green mark" of products in international trade. All products marked with the “Green Mark” indicate that the product meets the requirements for environmental protection from production to use until the final consumption recovery. A product can only enter a country’s market if it has obtained a “green mark” from a country, or it is prohibited from entering the country. Since 1986, many industrialized countries and EU member states have successively enacted regulations such as “Packaging Waste Disposal” and prohibited the entry of packaging products that do not meet environmental requirements. Many countries and regions signed environmental agreements with each other as many as 127, of which 17 contained trade clauses. Legislation containing trade clauses not only restricts or prohibits informal trade among member countries, but also restricts, prohibits and violates non-member countries that violate regulations. Trade. Obviously, "green marks," "green laws," and multilateral environmental agreements constitute a new kind of non-tariff barriers. Any product that violates environmental protection regulations will lose its competitiveness in the international market. The French government’s environmental protection agencies encourage and help manufacturers invest heavily in the development, development and production of “green packaging”. The environmental protection department clearly stipulates that “food recycling” must be printed on the food packaging. In today's international market, products marked with “green signs” have stronger market competitiveness, and green packaging products that are conducive to environmental protection can survive and develop.
Contamination with the rule of law: the prohibition of harmful packaging to control the pollution of the packaging industry is an important aspect of the treatment of environmental pollution. In many countries in which the state has strengthened environmental protection laws and regulations, strict rule of law and banned the use of hazardous packaging materials in food packaging, such as the United States, Italy, Switzerland, the European Union, Germany and other economically developed countries have formulated and implemented a number of relevant laws and regulations. Or regulations.
(1) In the United States, as early as 1988, 21 states had issued a total of 2,332 decrees restricting and prohibiting the use of certain plastic packaging products.
(2) The Italian government began prohibiting the use of non-biodegradable plastic grocery Bags in its territory in 1991.
(3) Switzerland enacted regulations concerning packaging regulations in November 1991 prohibiting the production of packaging containers that cannot be recycled.
(4) The EU promulgated regulations on packaging and packaging wastes in 1992. Starting from January 1, 2000, all packaging materials that cannot be reused or cannot be recycled are removed from the market.
(5) Germany promulgated the Decree on Packaging Waste Handling in 1991 and took measures to promote the industry to convert "PVC" bottles for beverages into "PET" bottles, and also requested that 80% of "PET" bottles be recycled. . In October 1996, the German government promulgated and implemented a circular economy law based on the principle of polluters. In addition, Germany imposes environmental taxes on those who use hard-to-degrade plastic packaging.
(6) Denmark prohibits the use of disposable beer and beverage containers and also prohibits the import of such container-packed beer and beverages.
(7) Japan has banned the use of plastic packaging materials that cannot be recycled since January 1, 1995.
Research Open: Development of New Packaging Materials Economically developed countries are developing new types of packaging materials in order to eliminate the contamination of food packaging and to open up scientific research. New packaging materials suitable for the food industry are both beautiful, practical and economical. In other words, the new packaging material looks good, durable, and saves, without increasing the burden on consumers.
Develop edible packaging new materials. U.S. polymer films utilize wheat as the main raw material, and have successfully developed a kind of edible packaging new material - bran film, which looks like a plastic film, can use standard packaging equipment to package foods and medicines, and can be packaged with Food and medicine are eaten together.
Develop new paper packaging materials. For example, Japan, Germany, and many other countries have demanded not only good-looking and practical food packaging, but also whether the promotion of environmental protection is an important requirement for the packaging industry. Now Japanese companies and businesses are trying to use raw materials that do not pollute the environment when packaging food, and use paper packaging instead of plastic containers.
Develop new technologies for degradable plastics. Not long ago, the Fuji Industrial Technology Center in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan developed a new environmentally friendly technology that combines degradable plastics with paper.
The EU's "2000 Agenda" places environmental protection in an important strategic position. From production to packaging to residents' dining tables, food packaging is highly valued. Promote "ecological agriculture" in the production area; promote "green materials" in the packaging industry. The so-called "green packaging materials" are pollution-free and environmentally friendly.
Pursuit in the new century: Adopting the “Green Revolution” of ISO standard food packaging is the common pursuit of human life in the new century, and it will also be a common theme and important feature of the future development of the global food industry. The implementation of related "green standards" to the "green revolution" has special significance.
The well-known ISO14000 is formulated after considering the environmental standards based on the ISO9000 international management standard, which means that it adds environmental protection content. The ISO14000 contains 24 standards. Five were issued in 1997 and all were introduced before the end of 2000. Its promulgation will have a positive effect on the improvement of environmental management practices of all industries, industries, commerce, and governments throughout the world, and will have a profound impact on international trade.
It can be foreseen that the "green revolution" will surely be the theme of the global packaging industry in the new century, and it will also be a distinctive feature of the development of the packaging industry in the new century. The 21st century will be a green world and will also be a green packaging world. Whoever sees it early and moves fast will be able to take the initiative first. China's packaging industry must catch up with the world's "green wave" and accept the challenges of WTO accession, ensuring that it will take the initiative in the world market in the 21st century.