Green packaging knowledge (on)

1 Green Packaging Overview

1.1 The connotation of green packaging

Green packaging generally has five aspects: First, reduce packaging. Packaging should meet the requirements of protection, convenience, sales, etc., and should be used in the minimum amount. The second is that the packaging should be easy to reuse or easy to recycle. Through the production of recycled products, incineration and utilization of heat energy, composting to improve soil and other measures to achieve the purpose of reuse. Third, packaging waste can be degraded (Degradable). In the end, it does not form permanent waste, so as to achieve the purpose of improving the soil. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Degradable are the 3R1D principles recognized by the world today for the development of green packaging. Fourth, packaging materials should be non-toxic and harmless to humans and organisms. Packaging materials should not contain toxic elements, germs, heavy metals; or these contents should be controlled below relevant standards. Fifth, packaging products from the collection of raw materials, materials processing, manufacturing products, product use, waste recycling, until the final processing of the entire life of the process should not cause harm to the human body and the environment.

1.2 The origin of green packaging

The green packaging originated in the "Our Common Future" issued by the United Nations Environment and Development Committee in 1987. By June 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development adopted the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21, and it was immediately In the world, a green wave centered on protecting the ecological environment has been set off. "Green Package" has been called "Environmental Friendly Package" or "Eological Package". Green packaging should be: no harm to the ecological environment and human health, recycling and reuse, can promote the sustainable development of the national economy packaging. In other words, the entire process of packaging products from raw material selection, product manufacturing, use, recycling and disposal should meet the requirements of ecological and environmental protection. It includes such contents as conservation of resources, energy, reduction, avoidance of waste generation, easy recycling, recycling, incineration or degradation, and other ecological and environmental protection requirements. The content of green packaging With the advancement of science and technology, the development of packaging will also have new connotations.

1.3 Grading of Green Packaging

Green packaging is divided into A grade and AA grade. Grade A green packaging refers to the appropriate packaging of wastes that can be recycled, reused or degraded, and contain toxic substances within the specified limits. Grade AA green packaging refers to waste that can be reused, reused or degraded, and does not cause harm to the human body and the environment throughout the product life cycle. Moderate packaging of toxic substances is within the specified limits. The above classification is mainly to consider the issue of waste after packaging is first used. This is pollution in the process of protecting the environment around the world. This is a problem that needs to be solved in the past, present, and future. The life cycle analysis method (LCA) is a method of evaluating the environmental performance of the packaging, and it is also a method to compare the environmental performance of the packaging materials. However, the problem should be prioritized.

2 Green Labels and Regulations for Packaging

2.1 Green Package Label

In 1975, the world’s first green packaging “green” logo was introduced in Germany. The world's first green packaging “Green Dot” logo is a circular pattern consisting of green arrows and white arrows. The upper text is composed of German DERGRNEPONKT, which means “green dots”.

The green dot's two-color arrow indicates that the product or package is green and can be recycled and used, meeting the requirements of ecological balance and environmental protection. In 1977, the German government launched the “Blue Sky” green environmental protection label and granted products with green features, including packaging. The “Blue Sky” logo is composed of an inner ring and a blue ring composed of the crown of the United Nations. In the middle, the blue angel embraces the earth-like pattern with arms to indicate the meaning of people embracing the earth. Above the outer ring is the German circulation logo, and below the outer ring is the name of the German product category.

After Germany used the “Environmental Mark”, many countries have also begun to implement environmental labels for product packaging. Such as Canada's "Maple Leaf Sign", Japan's "Love the Earth", the United States' "Natural Friendly" and Certificate System, China's "Environmental Sign", the European Community's "European Flower", Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, etc. White Swans of the Nordic countries, Singapore's "green logo", New Zealand's "environmental choice", and Portugal's "ecological products".

In June 1993, the International Organization for Standardization established the “Technical Committee on Environmental Management” (TC207), which established a set of environmental management standards like quality management. To date, the TC207 committee has established some standards (eg ISO14000) and issued them for implementation. In the United States, the corporate and packaging industries have implemented the ISO14000 standard and developed related "environmental report cards" to evaluate the life cycle of packaging and improve the environmental management system of packaging companies. Japan established an environmental audit certification organization in October 1994. The European Community put forward the "European Environmental Management and Environmental Audit" in March 1993 and began implementation in April 1995. Some enterprises in China have also begun to implement the ISO14000 series of standards, but there is still a certain gap compared with foreign countries.

2.2 Green Packaging Regulations

In 1981, the Danish government first introduced the "Container Packaging Recycling Act" in view of the adverse effects of the increase in empty containers for beverage containers. As the implementation of this law affected the free movement of goods within the European Community, the interests of member countries were affected. So a "Danish bottle" lawsuit hit the European court. In 1988, the European Court ruled that Denmark won. In order to alleviate disputes, the European Community held a conference in Dublin in June 1990 to put forward the idea of ​​"enhanced environmental protection." The Waste Transport Act was enacted, which stipulated that packaging waste could not be shipped to other countries. Countries should take responsibility for waste.

In December 1994, the European Community issued the "Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive." After the "Dublin Declaration," countries in Western Europe have successively formulated relevant laws and regulations. Responding to Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Brazil and other countries and regions have also formulated the packaging laws and regulations.

Since 1979, China has promulgated four special laws and eight resource laws, including the "Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China," "Prevention and Treatment of Solid Waste," "Water Pollution Control Law," and "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law." More than 30 environmental protection regulations expressly regulate the management of packaging waste. In 1984, the country set up an environment and began implementing the environmental labeling system. In 1998, the provincial Green Packaging Association was established.