How to Understand That The "Era Of Plastic Recycling" Has Arrived

In recent years, many countries have implemented different degrees of "plastic ban" or "plastic restriction". But we can't simply ban all plastic products. In that case, cell phones, cars and important medical devices would no longer exist in people's daily lives.

It is not enough to complete the recycling of the plastics we produce by improving collection and sorting facilities. Along with building infrastructure, we need to address the problem at the source - preventing plastics from becoming waste in the first place, and making plastics recyclable so that every kilogram of plastic can be recycled.

Plastic is light, cheap and durable, and has penetrated every corner of people's lives, making this society irresistible. If we say goodbye to plastic, we will say goodbye to modern life completely.

From the market side, plastic production is huge and still growing.

According to data released by the European Plastics Manufacturers Association, global plastics production and consumption will continue to grow. 2020, production will reach 367 million tons and per capita consumption will reach 46 kg. By 2050, plastics production is expected to reach 1.1 billion tons.

Faced with such a huge amount of plastic products, do we recycle them?

Overall, the global plastic recycling rate is only about 7%. The statistics may vary due to inconsistent data on the channels of recycled plastics.

In Europe, the recycling rate is 15-25%; in the United States, the rate is 5% lower; in China, because of a huge army of scavengers, the recycling rate is 40%.

This time, China has launched the largest national action to tackle plastic pollutants in human history, with a national effort.

Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly issued the "2022 plastic pollution prevention and control work points", plastic pollution prevention and control of eight major tasks.

Source reduction of plastic products action, plastic waste standardized recycling and disposal action, waste plastic recycling action, river, lake and sea "drift" action, agricultural film and pesticide packaging treatment action, public institutions to lead the demonstration action, key areas of regulatory action, as well as publicity and guidance action.

The above phenomenon shows that mankind has entered the "plastic recycling era". Only by changing the current linear thinking of plastic industry, making plastic recycling and forming a closed-loop industry chain can we fundamentally solve the above problems.

It can be said that the problems caused by plastic are very serious, but at this stage, the development of the world economy cannot be separated from plastic. We should still adhere to the 3R principle as a feasible solution, i.e. reduce, reuse, recycle, reduce the use of front-end as much as possible, recycle plastic, enter the "plastic recycling era" as soon as possible, and form a large closed loop of the plastic recycling industry chain.

The Plastics Recycling Branch of China Synthetic Resin Supply and Marketing Association believes that, first, in this era, every kilogram of plastic we produce and consume should be recorded and not flow into the environment; the plastic waste produced by consumers each time they consume must also be sent to the recycling system. This is the most important feature of the "plastic recycling era".

For example, shampoo bottles, mineral water bottles, oil cans or chemical drums, these plastic packaging can and should be monitored. As for some categories that cannot be monitored, such as film, plastic bags in supermarkets, and disposable plastic on cigarette cartons, they can be measured by weight.

In short, it is imperative that plastics are returned to the recycling system. If humans want to truly enter the "plastic recycling era," they can't just remember with their mouths, but not with their bodies.

Everyone has the right to use plastic, and the state cannot prohibit its use in the marketplace. Our requirement for the market is that after use, it can be measured and proven to go into the plastic recycling system.

This is the digitization of the plastics recycling industry, which is in line with the current booming blockchain technology. Those plastic products that cannot be digitized, tracked and recycled should be banned.

Another feature of this era is that the flow of all plastics should be measured and tracked, and recycled materials will become cheaper and cheaper.

In the "plastic recycling era", new materials and recycled materials are equally important materials, because mankind cannot expand production capacity to produce new materials without restraint. Recycled materials must be the primary material. Every plastic product must contain recycled materials, even in the food sector. The means of production will be redefined.

In short, entering the era of plastic recycling is a challenge for the whole society and humanity. With ideals and missions in mind, for the Chinese nation to truly move toward rejuvenation and return to the unity of heaven and man of Chinese culture, we need a harmonious coexistence between man and nature. When we cross the tipping point of plastic recycling, we will reach the great harmonious society to which the ancient sages aspired.