The nationwide large-scale "white control" and "white ban" is 1998 1 1.9. The State Environmental Protection Administration held a joint meeting of relevant ministries and commissions, and proposed to completely eliminate disposable plastic lunch boxes in China in 1-2 years from1July 1999. 1Feb. 2, 1999, the former State Economic and Trade Commission officially issued "Order No.6", demanding that disposable plastic lunch boxes be completely eliminated nationwide by the end of 2000. At the same time, the governments of most provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions and relevant industry management departments have issued notices, bans and organized bans. Therefore, a nationwide campaign was launched to ban foamed plastic lunch boxes and ultra-thin plastic shopping bags.
Nowadays, China's "white control" and "white prohibition" keep pace with the times and enter the third year of 2 1 century. Judging from the current progress, it is estimated that an "eight-year war of resistance" will be difficult to achieve the expected goal in time.
According to relevant data, some developed countries in the world, such as the United States, Japan and Western Europe, are still producing and using such products in large quantities. The soft plastic packaging materials used in these countries account for more than half of the whole soft packaging materials. At the end of 1990s, the demand for flexible packaging materials in the United States was 2038kt, accounting for 765,438+0.3% of the total demand for flexible packaging. Europe is 70%. Moreover, these countries are still developing at an annual rate of 4%. However, such a large consumption has not caused such serious "white pollution" as China. According to some data, this kind of pollution also happened in western countries in the 1970s and 1980s, but it was quickly cured by taking effective measures to control it in time. According to reports, their practice is centralized treatment, and production and use are not prohibited. The governments of these countries, on the one hand, formulate measures in time to encourage product improvement and develop new substitute products; On the other hand, efforts should be made to organize and formulate effective recovery measures. Governments at all levels have formulated detailed and clear laws and policies on waste and recycling according to local conditions; Encourage research on heavy money recovery. At the same time, educate citizens on effective environmental protection knowledge and environmental protection laws and regulations; Vigorously improve the environmental awareness of the whole people, and form a good habit of protecting the environment, strictly enforcing the law, consciously abiding by the law, and obeying the law.
For similar problems, some of our management departments did not make great efforts to actively organize research, encourage improvement and legislate first, but were busy ordering to stop them before launching "white control" and "white ban".
Although these products may have some shortcomings, they have not lost their use value. Moreover, they have the characteristics of easy processing, low cost, low price, easy carrying and strong applicability, and are deeply loved by the general public, which is incomparable to other products. Some people accuse them of being poisonous, but there is no real scientific basis to test them. After six or seven years, it has not been really clarified yet, and no government department at the first level has effectively organized testing and issued formal conclusions. As for "littering and burying underground, it will affect the soil quality and pollute the environment if it is not rotted for many years". This can be said to be the characteristics of the products, not their guilt. The real responsibility is that people should not throw it around and bury it in the ground. The government and management departments should pay attention to environmental education and legislation, and actively organize and formulate measures for waste recycling; At the same time, encourage the development of new alternative products.
In fact, it is some so-called perishable and degradable wastes, such as leftovers, melon and fruit peels, vegetable leaves and so on. Management is not strict, it is dumped everywhere and pollutes the environment. And it is more harmful. Because of this garbage, if the weather is a little warmer, it will rot and stink. It not only destroys the environment, pollutes the air and water quality, but also breeds a large number of mosquitoes, flies and poisonous insects and spreads diseases. So the problem does not depend entirely on whether a product can naturally rot or degrade. The key lies in whether the local government can grasp the essence of the problem and effectively control people's behavior through legislation, publicity and education, so that they can abandon and dispose of garbage in full accordance with regulations and requirements. Otherwise, we can't forbid people to eat and grow fruits and vegetables for this reason!
Of course, as environmental protection, no matter what things, no matter what color, as long as they cause pollution or damage the environment, they should be treated. Governance is fundamental. For some products that are not conducive to environmental protection, have no room for improvement and have no use value, it is also a treatment method, but it needs strict control. Just like foam plastics and film soft plastic packaging materials, if we pay attention to governance and improvement from the beginning, it may be more effective than banning. Some data show that in this regard, foreign countries have long had mature recycling experience, treatment technology and corresponding laws and regulations. If we organize, study and study in time, we may take fewer detours.
In short, the key to environmental protection and white governance is to focus on the work of being a man. The most fundamental thing is to fully mobilize and rely on the support of the general public and make joint efforts. The improvement of environmental awareness and conscious behavior of the masses mostly depends on the significance of the government and leaders to environmental protection and pollution control, including content, implementation methods, relevant laws and regulations, and the degree of publicity and education work of the government.
Looking back, most of the work we have done to "control" and "ban" is to ban more than cure. In some places, it is even forbidden to rule and punish it. Notices, bans, red-headed documents and fines have replaced in-depth and meticulous ideological work. Because the publicity and education work is not in place, the people's ideological understanding and self-discipline awareness are not high, and they lack the concept of environmental protection. They still litter. This phenomenon still exists at present. Just outside the Fourth Ring Road in Beijing, roads and ditches can be seen everywhere around suburbs, towns, villages and residential areas. In some large and small garbage dumps, there are white foam plastic lunch boxes and foam cushions, as well as pink, blue and black film bags. In nearby food stalls, restaurants and residential areas, non-white garbage such as dumped residues, leftovers, melon and fruit peels and rotten vegetable leaves is more polluted, which is more harmful to environmental protection and human health. We must pay close attention to governance and prohibit littering.
Therefore, I insist that the fundamental cause of environmental pollution and damage to environmental protection is people's littering and littering. But not in waste and rubbish. Not to mention whether they can rot quickly, degrade naturally and be toxic. To be sure, if people don't litter and dump garbage, this kind of pollution won't happen. In fact, publicity and education for the general public is also governance. And it is the most important and fundamental cure. If the publicity and education work is really put in place, not only all women and children are familiar with it, but everyone can be proud of not littering, consciously and self-disciplined, and the work of cracking down on white rice will certainly have remarkable results.
Another important reason for the unfavorable development of "white control" and "white prohibition" is the lack of detailed and strict legal basis. In other words, in terms of relevant leaders, the work of formulating relevant laws on "controlling blank space" and "prohibiting blank space" is not in place. Even now, many of them, such as laws and regulations on the use of food packaging materials, waste disposal, hygiene, safety and recycling, lack systematic and detailed legal basis. In particular, there is a lack of laws on packaging and human health, packaging and environmental protection. Therefore, it is difficult for law enforcement departments to regulate people's behavior according to law in the production and use of such products. At the end of last century, Shanghai's sensational "packaging lawsuit" went away, which is a powerful explanation. It can also be said that it is the inevitable result that the laws of "white control" and "white prohibition" are not in place. As the leading department of state organs and government, we are vigorously advocating "rejuvenating the country through science and education" and "ruling the country according to law" today. Everything should be based on the implementation of the "Theory of Three Represents", do more practical investigation and study, earnestly do a good job in legislation and law enforcement, and ensure the smooth development of all work.
Serious and meticulous scientific analysis and demonstration are not in place, which is also an important reason for the unfavorable development of "white control" and "white ban".
Before the implementation of "controlling white pollution" and "banning white pollution", the relevant leaders and management departments should first conduct in-depth and detailed investigation and study on the root causes of pollution and the characteristics and characters of related pollutants, and carry out a series of preparatory work such as serious scientific testing, expert argumentation and evidence collection from relevant parties. However, judging from the implementation process of "white control" and "white prohibition", these important tasks are not only not in place, but also not strong enough, and some even have not been done at all. The most prominent and crucial problem is that people (including some leading departments) have not really figured out whether foamed plastic lunch boxes and plastic film bags are really toxic after six or seven years of "white control" and "white ban". So far, the government-led departments have not officially announced or confirmed, and there are still no authoritative conclusions, and there are different opinions.
"Controlling white pollution" should definitely be an aspect of controlling environmental pollution. Because no matter whether it is white or black, anything that is harmful to the environment and causes pollution must be disposed of. However, in order to ban production and use, it is necessary to seriously study and organize experts and scholars from all relevant parties to demonstrate. Make scientific argumentation conclusions that must be banned. Pass legislation and implement it according to law. The administrative department must not give orders rashly. Just like the "white ban", so far plastic industry associations and a large number of experts have jointly expressed different opinions, and most people in society do not understand and are unwilling to implement the "white ban". In this case, it is difficult to achieve results by issuing a hard ban.
In fact, if you do it seriously, it is not too difficult. As long as the government-led departments organize relevant industries, enterprises, scientific research units and experts and scholars, and cooperate with relevant quarantine and testing units to carry out serious testing, analysis, demonstration and evidence collection, they will soon be completely clear and draw correct conclusions. Although it may be more troublesome and difficult than issuing a notice or an injunction, this work can be carried out smoothly and effectively on the basis of scientific argumentation.
The above is just why it is difficult for people to discuss the topics of "white control" and "white prohibition" at present. These opinions will be verified by practice.
Shenzhen plans to fully promote degradable plastic packaging products, Lhasa completely bans disposable foamed plastic lunch boxes and plastic bags, 60% of disposable degradable plastic lunch boxes sold in Beijing market are unqualified, the hygienic index of degradable plastic lunch box additives used in school canteens exceeds the standard, and disposable foamed plastic tableware is being cleaned up ... This is a series of recent media reports on disposable foamed plastic tableware. From this, it is not difficult to see the firm determination of the government to completely ban disposable foamed plastic tableware and promote the use of degradable plastic tableware, and the market reaction is not dependent on people's will. Facing the degradable tableware with uncompetitive performance and price, the price of foamed plastic tableware has been rising again and again, which has become the most headache in the "white treatment".
In order to effectively control the worldwide white pollution problem, the Beijing Society of Environmental Sciences organized a seminar on white pollution control countermeasures in Beijing on 23 October, 65438. At the meeting, NPC deputies listened carefully to the opinions and suggestions of many environmental experts from government departments, universities and business circles all over the country. After discussion, the participants thought that recycling is still the best way to eradicate the white stripes, and suggested that cities that have recycled foamed plastic tableware, such as Beijing and Guangzhou, can resume the recycling system of various disposable plastic tableware (including foamed plastic tableware) under certain conditions. The deputies to the National People's Congress indicated that they would put forward proposals and suggestions on this.
There are many problems in the promotion of degradable tableware.
In 1999, the former State Economic and Trade Commission issued the first batch of catalogue of obsolete production capacity, technology and products (No.6), requiring China to completely ban the production of disposable foamed plastic tableware from 200 1 year. Since then, enterprises that degrade plastic tableware have mushroomed. However, compared with disposable foamed plastic tableware, degradable plastic tableware has no advantage in performance and price, and its oil resistance and strength are far less than disposable foamed plastic tableware. However, in order to improve the use performance and degradation performance, its production cost will also rise. A degradable plastic lunch box is generally about 2 cents, while foamed plastic tableware is only 8 cents. The market acceptance of degradable plastic tableware can be imagined.
In fact, disposable foamed plastic tableware has been used in not fade away in the market, and the market acceptance of degradable plastic tableware is even lower. The degradable plastic tableware itself also has serious problems. Some environmentally-friendly tableware enterprises use the national policy standard classes to produce and sell a large number of fake and shoddy environmentally-friendly degradable plastic tableware with excessive calcium carbonate and recycled materials, which further impacts the degradable plastic tableware market. In addition, the impact of degradable plastic tableware itself on the environment is still controversial. Many experts in the industry believe that the current plastic degradation technology is immature, high quality and low price, and can only be "disintegrated", which is still harmful to the environment.
The recycling of foamed tableware is profitable.
In fact, "white" has been abroad for many years, but in developed countries such as the United States and Japan, it is still easy to see disposable foamed plastic tableware. Of course, you can also see high-quality degradable plastic lunch boxes in some high-end restaurants. The reason why disposable foamed plastic tableware can still be used in these developed countries is related to its strict recycling system. In view of the technical problem of degradable plastics, these countries no longer advocate the use of degradable tableware.
1997, Beijing issued the document 170, which started the recycling of disposable foamed plastic tableware. The recovery rate is over 60%, which has solved the pollution problem caused by disposable foamed plastic tableware in Beijing to some extent and achieved remarkable results. After the "Sixth Order" was issued, the recycling of foamed plastic tableware in Beijing also stopped.
While Beijing stopped recycling waste plastic tableware, Shanghai started the "1 money-sharing project", and began to recycle disposable foamed plastic tableware on a large scale based on the principle of "whoever pollutes will treat it". Each waste lunch box is recycled 1 cent and processed into recycled materials, which can sell for about 5000 yuan per ton. With the recent sharp rise in the price of plastic raw materials, the price of recycled materials has also risen. At present, Shanghai recycles more than 200 million disposable foamed plastic lunch boxes every year, with a recovery rate as high as 70%. Practice has proved that strengthening recycling is one of the effective measures to control white pollution.
A total ban on production remains to be discussed.
Because the "Six Orders" only prohibit the production of disposable foamed tableware, not the use, although some cities have introduced alcohol prohibition orders, most of them lack the basis for law enforcement or the punishment is not strong, and because the degradation technology is not mature at this stage, after the production of foamed tableware is completely banned, the substitute products can't keep up, so foamed tableware has not disappeared in the market, and even has a resurgence trend. For example, after Beijing completely banned disposable foamed plastic tableware from 200 1, there are still a large number of foamed plastic tableware on the market, and no one recycles them. On the contrary, the pollution is more serious than before 2000, which makes many environmentalists rethink whether the comprehensive "white ban" needs to be revised.
At the seminar on white pollution countermeasures, experts concluded that in view of the immaturity of degradation technology at present, advocating recycling, parallel substitution degradation and reducing the amount of plastic packaging are the most feasible ways to control white pollution at present. Moreover, due to the shortage of oil resources in China, strengthening the recycling of waste plastics is of positive significance to the sustainable development of China's economy. In this regard, the NPC deputies attending the meeting said that they would reflect it upwards, and then discuss and decide the original "white ban" law to make it conform to the current actual situation and market rules. At the same time, the experts at the meeting called for the formulation of national laws and regulations on packaging waste disposal as soon as possible to replace simple administrative orders, and at the same time coordinate the recycling of the market with economic leverage, and finally form an operating mechanism of "legal support, market operation, scientific management and everyone's participation" to completely and effectively solve the environmental pollution and resource waste caused by various waste plastics.