Promoting the development of a circular economy Promote the high-value application of recycled plastics

Our reporter Luo Chen and correspondent Chu Yibing

Recently, Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center released the "China Consumer Awareness of Recycled Plastics Survey Report (2022)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"), the "Report" shows that 73.
39% of consumers will actively recycle or reuse waste beverage bottles in daily life, and 62.
84% of consumers have expressed positive intentions
about plastic recycling in food packaging.
Plastic is an important building material, from a straw to a car.

However, while it brings many conveniences, it also brings challenges
to environmental governance.
In 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for Plastic Pollution Control", proposing to accelerate the standardized recycling and disposal of plastic waste, which is also one of
the important paths for plastic pollution control in the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.

Recycled "green" from plastic bottles

PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate) is one of the most widely used plastics, it has good ductility, high transparency, good safety, often used to make beverage bottles or other food packaging materials
.
In China, rPET (recycled PET, recycled PET plastic) made from beverage bottle recycling can be used again in automobiles, daily chemicals and other fields, but it is not yet allowed to be used in food packaging
.
In 2019, the weight of beverage PET bottles consumed in China reached 4.
42 million tons, but PET takes at least hundreds of years to completely decompose under natural conditions, bringing a greater burden
to the environment and economy.

From an economic point of view, discarding plastic packaging after single-use will lose 95% of its use value; From the perspective of environmental protection, it will also lead to many problems
such as reduced crop yields and marine pollution.
If used PET plastic bottles, especially beverage bottles, are recycled for recycling, it is of great significance
to environmental protection, economy and society.

Data show that the recycling rate of PET beverage bottles in China has reached 94%, of which more than 80% of rPET has entered the recycled fiber industry and is used to make daily necessities
such as bags, clothing, and umbrellas.
In fact, remaking PET beverage bottles into food-grade rPET can not only reduce the use of virgin PET, reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources such as petroleum, but also improve the number of cycles of rPET through scientific and strict treatment technology, and its safety has long been verified
in other countries.

In addition to entering the recycling system, China's waste PET beverage bottles mainly flow to kitchen waste treatment plants, landfills, waste incineration power plants, beaches and other places
.
But landfilling and incineration can lead to air, soil and groundwater pollution, and reducing waste or recycling more waste can reduce environmental burdens and costs
.

Recycled PET reduces CO2 emissions by 59% and energy consumption
by 76% compared to PET made from petroleum.

In 2020, China made higher commitments to environmental protection and emission reduction: to achieve the goal of
carbon peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060.
At present, China has introduced a number of relevant policies and measures to promote the comprehensive green transformation of
economic and social development.
As one of the effective recycling paths for waste plastics, rPET can promote the exploration and improvement of waste management system, which is of great practical significance
to promote the achievement of the "dual carbon" goal.

The safety of rPET for food packaging is key

At present, due to the environmentally friendly nature of rPET, many countries and regions in the world have allowed it to be used in food packaging, and Africa is also accelerating the expansion of production
.
However, in China, rPET plastic cannot be applied to food packaging
at present.

There is no shortage of food-grade rPET factories
in China.
In fact, China is the world's largest plastic recycling place, in 2021 China's PET beverage bottle recycling volume is close to 4 million tons, rPET plastic is widely used in high-end cosmetics, personal care product packaging, automotive and other fields, and food-grade rPET are exported abroad
.

The "Report" shows that 73.
39% of consumers will actively recycle or reuse waste beverage bottles in daily life, and 62.
84% of consumers have expressed positive intentions
about PET recycling in food.
For the safety of rPET used in food packaging materials, more than 90% of consumers expressed concern
.
It can be seen that Chinese consumers generally have a positive attitude towards the use of rPET for food packaging, and ensuring safety is a necessary prerequisite
.

The real application of rPET in the food field should be based on safety assessment and ex post supervision on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is expected that the whole society will work together to jointly promote the high-value application of rPET and further promote the development of circular economy
.

China Food News (October 24, 2022, Edition 07)

(Editor: Luo Chen)