Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment exempts biodegradable plastics from single-use ban

According to this document, the production, sale and use of a number of plastic products will be banned or restricted in certain regions and territories by 2020. The consumption of disposable plastic products should be clearly reduced and substitute products promoted, to be achieved by 2022. By 2025, focus areas for the major cities include establishing a management system for the production, distribution, use, and recycling and disposal of plastic products, increasing the use of substitute  materials and largey eliminating the practice of landfilling, in order to successfully contain the plastic waste problem.   

Unlike the Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD) in the European Union, China is exempting biodegradable plastics from bans and restrictions concerning plastic bags, single-use plastics straws, disposable tableware and plastic tapes. The paper promotes the use of biodegradable shopping bags, biodegradable wrapping films and bags for fresh food and biodegradable agricultural foils on a large scale. Standards and labelling for biodegradable products and materials should be revised. The public organisations shall take the lead in stopping to use non-biodegradable deposable products.

See www.bio-based.eu/policy/#chinaplasticsmeasures2020 for a full translation made on behalf of nova-Institut

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