Description of the Problem:
Types of common plastic waste, the amount and harm, and what are the reasonable suggestions to deal with it
Solution:
White pollution is the disposable and difficult to degrade plastic packaging. For example, disposable foam fast cutlery and our common plastic bags. It is very serious pollution of the environment, buried in the soil is difficult to decompose, will lead to a decline in soil capacity, if incineration will lead to air pollution, so now advocate not to use or less use of this material, the best to buy things from their own tools, to reduce the use of it.
First, the "white pollution" of the current situation and its harm
Plastic products as a new type of material, lightweight, waterproof, durable, mature production technology, low-cost advantages, in the world is widely used and is a year-on-year growth trend. Plastic packaging materials in the world market growth rate is higher than other packaging materials, 1990-1995 plastic packaging materials, the average annual growth rate of 8.9%.
China is one of the world's top ten producers and consumers of plastic products. 1995, China's plastic production of 5.19 million tons of plastic into the day nearly 6 million tons of plastic, the country's total consumption of about 11 million tons of plastic that year, of which 2.11 million tons of plastic packaging. Most of the plastic for packaging in the form of waste film, plastic bags and Styrofoam tableware, was discarded in the environment. These waste plastic packaging scattered in urban areas, scenic tourist areas, water bodies, both sides of the road, not only affecting the landscape, resulting in "visual pollution", but also because of its difficulty in degradation of the ecological environment and potential hazards.
According to the survey, 3% of Beijing's domestic waste is waste plastic packaging, totaling about 140,000 tons per year; 7% of Shanghai's domestic waste is waste plastic packaging, totaling about 190,000 tons per year. Tianjin City, the annual waste plastic packaging also more than 100,000 tons. Beijing annually discarded in the environment of plastic bags about 2.3 billion, disposable plastic tableware about 220 million, waste agricultural film about 6.75 million square meters. People jokingly referred to this as "the suburbs of the city a white blanket".
"White pollution", the main harm lies in the "visual pollution", and "potential harm":
1, "" visual pollution ". Visual pollution". In the city, tourist areas, water bodies and roadside scattered waste plastic packaging to people's vision to bring bad ***, affecting the city, the overall beauty of the landscape, damage to the cityscape, landscape, resulting in "visual pollution".
2, "potential harm". Waste plastic packaging into the environment, because it is difficult to degrade, resulting in long-term, deep ecological problems. First of all, waste plastic packaging materials mixed in the soil, affecting crop absorption of nutrients and water, will lead to crop yield reduction; Second, discarded on land or in the water body of waste plastic packaging materials, swallowed by animals as food, resulting in the death of animals (in the zoo, pastoral areas and the sea, such cases have been commonplace); Third, mixed into the life of waste waste waste waste waste is difficult to deal with: landfill disposal will be a long-term Third, it is difficult to dispose of waste plastic packaging in domestic waste: landfill disposal will occupy land for a long time, domestic waste mixed with plastics is not suitable for composting, and it is difficult to recycle the waste plastics sorted out because the quality of the waste plastics cannot be guaranteed.
At present, people reflect the strong is mainly "visual pollution" problem, but for the waste plastic packaging long-term, deep "potential harm", most people still lack of understanding.
Second, the prevention and control of "white pollution" at home and abroad in the general practice
1, the prevention and control of "white pollution" in foreign countries
As early as 1985, the United States into the average consumption of plastic packaging has reached 23.4 kilograms, Japan 20.1 kilograms. Kilograms, Japan 20.1 kilograms, Europe 15 kilograms. Into the nineties, the developed countries per capita consumption of plastic packaging more (China's 1995 per capita consumption of plastic packaging and other plastic products for 13.12 kilograms). From the consumption point of view, it seems that the developed countries, "white pollution" should be very serious, in fact, it is not. The reason for this is that the developed countries have long been strict attention to the management of the city, few people throw waste plastic packaging, the basic elimination of "visual pollution". Secondly, the harmless disposal rate of domestic waste in developed countries is higher. In the United States, for example, before the 80s, the main way to dispose of waste plastics is landfill, and later found that the plastic long-term non-degradation, after the nineties, they turned to the road of recycling.
Now has established a set of strict classification and recycling system, most of the waste plastic packaging is recycled, a small portion of the conversion into energy or other ways of harmless disposal, but also basically eliminated the potential hazards of waste plastic packaging.
The United States has developed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which makes clear provisions for solid waste management, resource recovery, resource conservation and other aspects of technical research, system construction and operation, and development planning. Ten states, including California, Maine and New York, have introduced a deposit system for the recycling of packaging supplies. Japan in the "Renewable Energy Law", "Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Support Law", "Packaging Container Recycling Law" and other laws listed special provisions to promote manufacturers to simplify the packaging, and to clarify the manufacturers, sellers and consumers of their respective recycling obligations. Germany in the Circular Economy Act clearly stipulates that whoever manufactures, sells and consumes packaging items has the obligation to avoid generating, recycling and disposing of waste. Germany's "Packaging Ordinance" will be recycling, utilization, disposal of waste packaging materials and the obligation to produce, sell, consume the right of the goods linked to the recycling, utilization, disposal of the obligation to decomposition and implementation of the goods and their packaging materials throughout the life cycle of the various subtle links, and therefore has a strong operational and effective.
2, China's prevention and control of "white pollution" methods and their pros and cons analysis
At present, China began to take measures from the administrative and technical aspects of the prevention and control of "white pollution".
On the administrative side, one is to strengthen management. For example, society is more concerned about the railroad on both sides of the "white pollution" problem, through the strengthening of the management has made significant improvements. Railroad departments from the second half of 1994, in the line along the zoning section dry. Part of the passenger train using bags of garbage, prohibit passengers to the window to discard waste. Cabin crews are not as before, the trunk garbage directly swept out of the window, but the garbage bags unloaded at the station, by the station centralized treatment. At present, more and more trains are using bagged garbage, and the phenomenon of randomly throwing garbage out of the car is becoming less and less. There have been 29,000 kilometers of lines on both sides of the basic elimination of "white pollution". Practice has proved that strengthening management is an effective means of preventing and controlling "white pollution".
Second, the ban on the use of disposable plastic packaging difficult to degrade. Hangzhou is the first city in China to ban the use of disposable foam fast tableware. Hangzhou in September 15, 1995 by the City Sanitation Bureau, the Commerce and Industry Bureau, the Health Bureau jointly issued a "notice on the ban on the use of foam plastic fast food containers", will be published in the "Hangzhou Daily" for three consecutive days. In the course of implementation, the management found that some individual itinerant vendors are still selling Styrofoam tableware. Recently, the Standing Committee of the Hangzhou People's Congress passed the Regulations on the Management of Cityscape and Environmental Hygiene of Hangzhou, and Article 35 of the Regulations stipulates that it is prohibited to sell or use non-degradable disposable tableware made of Styrofoam. Violators are liable to a fine of 500 to 5,000 yuan. The Regulations will be implemented from September 15, 1997 onwards. Wuhan, Harbin, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo, Shantou and other cities have also promulgated relevant policies and regulations to prohibit the local use of disposable Styrofoam tableware, through the adoption of the above measures, to a certain extent, to a certain extent, to reduce the harm of "white pollution". However, from the results of practice, it is difficult to completely solve the problem of "white pollution" by prohibiting it alone, and the cities that have enacted the ban are required to replace the original difficult-to-biodegrade Styrofoam products with paper products or biodegradable plastic products. However, the substitutes cannot compete with ordinary plastic products in terms of price and quality. Therefore, under the conditions of market economy, it is very difficult to operate only by administrative orders without considering the regulating effect of economic levers.
Third, mandatory recycling. Clean waste plastic packaging can be reused, or reused for granulation, oil refining, paint making, for construction materials, etc.. Recycling is in line with the general principles of solid waste disposal, "minimization, resource utilization, harmlessness". Recycling not only avoids "visual pollution", but also solves "potential hazards", eases the pressure on resources, reduces the load of municipal waste disposal, saves land and achieves certain economic benefits. This is a good way to treat both symptoms and root causes. But recycling should be in the waste plastic packaging into the garbage before. Re-sorting waste plastic packaging from the landfill is not only time-consuming and laborious, but the utilization value of waste plastic is also very low. Because the sorted waste plastic products are too dirty, it is also difficult to classify them according to the material, and the quality cannot be guaranteed. On the basis of investigation and research, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection (BPEP) determined the technical route of "recycling as the mainstay, substitution as a supplement, differentiation and comprehensive prevention and control" On June 1, 1997, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection (BPEP) and Municipal Bureau of Industry and Commerce (BIAC) jointly issued the "Circular on the Recycling of Discarded Disposable Plastic Meal Containers," which required that the production and distribution of disposable plastic meal containers in Beijing be carried out in the following ways. Beijing, units or individuals producing and distributing disposable plastic tableware (including trays, bowls, cups, etc.) must be responsible for the recycling of discarded tableware, or they can entrust other units to do so. The Circular also stipulates that the recycling rate must reach 30% in 1998, 50% in 1999 and 60% in 2000. Immediately after the release of the Circular, production and distribution units and individuals went to the local environmental protection department to declare their registration and put forward their recycling plans and specific guarantee measures. This is a breakthrough for Beijing to solve the problem of "white pollution". After achieving effective results, it will gradually increase the types and proportion of mandatory recycling of waste plastic products, and ultimately eliminate "white pollution". Tianjin Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has completed the "Tianjin Prevention and Control of "White Pollution" Project Feasibility Study Report", which puts forward a set of prevention and control programs, and determines that through recycling and reuse to achieve the purpose of saving resources and eliminating pollution. At present, it is formulating the "Recycling Plan", "Pilot Work Operation Chart" and "Pilot Work Progress Outline", and preparing for the establishment of the "Tianjin White Pollution Prevention and Control Project". The company is also preparing for the establishment of the Tianjin 'White Pollution' Prevention and Control Industry Association.
In terms of technology, one is to take paper instead of plastic. The main component of the paper is natural plant cellulose, after the waste is easy to be decomposed by microorganisms in the soil, so you can solve the "potential hazards", but will also bring new environmental problems: first of all, papermaking requires a lot of wood, and China's forest resources are not rich; secondly, the process of papermaking will bring water pollution. In addition, in terms of performance, cost, paper products can not yet compete with plastic products. At present, China also has a sugar cane stalks, straw as raw materials for the production of disposable tableware practice, but still in the experimental stage.
Second, the use of degradable plastics. In the production process of plastic packaging products to add a certain amount of additives (such as starch, modified starch or other cellulose, photosensitizers, biodegradable agents, etc.), so that the stability of the plastic packaging material is reduced, easier to degrade in the natural environment. At present, there are 19 units developing or producing degradable plastics in Beijing. Tests have shown that most degradable plastics begin to thin, lose weight, lose strength and gradually crack into pieces after 3 months of exposure in the general environment. If these fragments are buried in garbage or soil, the degradation effect is not obvious. There are four shortcomings in the use of biodegradable plastics: first, more food consumption; second, the use of biodegradable plastic products can still not completely eliminate the "visual pollution"; third, due to technical reasons, the use of biodegradable plastic products can not completely solve the "potential harm" to the environment; fourth, the use of biodegradable plastic products can not completely solve the "potential harm" to the environment; fourth, the use of biodegradable plastic products can not be completely eliminated. Third, due to technical reasons, the use of degradable plastic products can not completely solve the "potential harm" to the environment; Fourth, degradable plastics contain special additives and difficult to recycle.
Third, China's "white pollution" in the treatment of existing problems
China's "white pollution" in the prevention and treatment of the main problems are:
1, there is no national specialized regulations
Prevention and control of "white pollution" can not rely solely on business or personal self-consciousness, there should be mandatory measures to constrain the behavior of citizens and catering, transportation and other industry staff. For example, the requirements of enterprises or individuals on their own production, business, consumption activities in the production of waste plastic packaging for recycling; on the arbitrary abandonment of waste plastic packaging, piling up the behavior of penalties and so on. However, so far, China has not formulated national regulations in this regard.
2, the lack of relevant economic policies
To mobilize the recycling of waste plastic packaging, processing, use of enterprise enthusiasm, the need to give these enterprises to preferential policies. Existing comprehensive utilization of preferential policies are not yet enough to make waste plastic packaging recycling industry to form a benign market mechanism. In order not to increase the *** burden, at the same time reflect the "polluter pays" principle, should be required to produce waste recycling, can not be recycled enterprises or individuals to pay recycling fees for the recycling of compensation. This practice has been more common in foreign countries, China, there is no such economic policy.
3, the management of the work can not keep up
Cities, scenic tourist areas, traffic arteries, waters of the "white pollution" is mainly caused by poor management. Catering, commercial, railroad, water transport sector of the business activities generated by the waste plastic packaging did not take strict management measures, allowing customers to throw directly on the ground or in the water, and even some of the staff have been collected and discarded to the waste outside the car window or water. City streets and tourist areas of supporting facilities are not sound, shopping malls, restaurants, parks and other busy areas of the density of garbage bins is too low, not yet set up a classification of waste garbage cans. Although the city sanitation department has provisions to prohibit littering waste, but law enforcement, inspection of fewer people, there is no law, there is a ban on the phenomenon is more common.
4, management thinking is not unified.
China's considerable areas of "white pollution" is not enough to recognize the dangers of "white pollution", the prevention and control of "white pollution" has not been put on the agenda. Some places advocate the use of paper instead of plastic or the use of biodegradable plastics to solve the "white pollution", some areas advocate recycling to solve the problem, the management of the idea is not unified.
5, people's environmental awareness also rely on further enhancement
Although the concept of environmental protection of urban residents than in previous years has improved, began to pay attention to environmental issues, but has not been implemented into their own actions, discarded the waste, indiscriminate dumping, indiscriminate piling of waste plastic packaging behavior can be seen everywhere. News media reports on "white pollution" are mostly focused on paper instead of plastic and the use of biodegradable plastics and other technologies, the lack of guidance and education on the daily behavior of residents. Plastic packaging production, business units and consumers do not have a sense of responsibility, neither the internal motivation to fulfill their obligations, but also recycling, utilization, disposal of waste plastic packaging external pressure.
Fourth, the prevention and control of "white pollution" countermeasures
Summarize the domestic and international practice of preventing and controlling "white pollution" experience, combined with the current "white pollution" Combined with the current situation of "white pollution" and its management problems, China's prevention and control of "white pollution" should follow the "publicity and education as the guide, to strengthen the management of the core, recycling as the main means to alternative products as a complementary measure" principle.
The fight against "white pollution", first of all, to solve the "visual pollution" problem, so that the city, the landscape has improved significantly. This is mainly rely on publicity and education, guide the public to form good habits; at the same time to strengthen the management of the law, to promote enterprises and individuals into their own waste plastic packaging materials properly collected and disposed of. Prevention and control of "white pollution", it is more important to solve the waste plastic packaging on the ecological environment of long-term, deep-rooted harm. This is mainly through the development and implementation of recycling-friendly regulations and economic policies, the implementation of comprehensive recycling of waste plastic packaging; prevention and treatment of "white pollution", should also strengthen the research and development of alternative (green) packaging supplies in line with the actual. Now on the acceleration of China's prevention and control of "white pollution" process to put forward the following countermeasures:
1, strengthen publicity and education. Prevention and control of "white pollution" is a systematic project that requires all sectors, industries **** with the efforts of society as a whole and the active participation of all citizens. To vigorously carry out publicity and education to enhance people's awareness of the harm of "white pollution", to enhance the environmental awareness of society as a whole, and to educate people to develop good hygiene habits. In their own strict compliance with environmental regulations at the same time, actively stop the bad behavior around.
2, unified ideological understanding, strengthen management. In accordance with the "publicity and education as the guide, to strengthen management as the core, recycling as the main means to alternative products as a complementary measure" principle of prevention and control, one is to strengthen the "white pollution" harmful publicity, guide and educate the public to consciously prevent and control the "white pollution", "white pollution", "white pollution", "white pollution", "white pollution", "white pollution", "white pollution" and "white pollution". "White pollution"; second, a large number of waste plastic packaging industries (such as railroads, water transport, civil aviation, tourism, hotels, restaurants, catering, retail, etc.), to strengthen the management, to change the phenomenon of no one is responsible for the disordered piling, randomly discarded; third, to take mandatory measures from the recovery of centralized generation of waste plastic packaging (such as disposable foam lunch boxes), progressive recycling, and the use of alternative products. Foam lunch box) to start, and gradually improve the recycling rate of waste plastic packaging; four is to strengthen the development of alternative packaging products, research, and efforts to reduce the amount of waste plastic packaging, etc..
3, as soon as possible to develop and promulgate national prevention and control of "white pollution" of the relevant laws and regulations, clear producers, sellers and consumers recycling waste plastic packaging obligations and legal responsibilities. Should be the production of plastic packaging, business, consumption and other links, respectively, to develop specific control measures and guidance policies to control the amount of waste plastic packaging is not easy to recycle, encourage to improve the recycling rate of waste plastic packaging.
4, the development of appropriate economic policies, the establishment of market economic conditions to eliminate "white pollution" benign operation mechanism. The use of economic means to encourage and promote the waste plastic packaging "reduction, resource utilization, harmless", saving and comprehensive utilization of resources, prevention and treatment of "white pollution", to protect the ecological environment.
I have a suggestion, but have to invest a sum of money first, due to the fact that now people's daily trading with a lot of plastic, especially plastic wear, we can promote the use of cloth bags of good habits, so you can do this publicity, release the bag ah ~~~~~~~~~~~