Thinking of Green Packaging Design

As environmental protection has become a global concern, packaging issues have increasingly brought a strong "green" color. Various laws and regulations are quietly emerging around the world. In regulating the packaging industry, they have also become another trade barrier in the import and export trade. Therefore, strengthening the investigation and research on the “green packaging” issue is an inevitable requirement for the globalization of environmental protection and the globalization of trade activities.

As environmental protection has become a global concern, packaging issues have increasingly brought a strong "green" color. Various laws and regulations are quietly emerging around the world. In regulating the packaging industry, they have also become another trade barrier in the import and export trade. Therefore, strengthening the investigation and research on the “green packaging” issue is an inevitable requirement for the globalization of environmental protection and the globalization of trade activities.

1 Analysis of the meaning and trend of "green packaging"

"Green Packaging" also means packaging that meets environmental requirements. It requires that the packaging of goods harmless to ecological balance and harmless to human health. Specifically, "green packaging" refers to the use of packaging materials to save resources and minimize packaging waste. It facilitates recycling and recycling after use to become other useful materials; it occupies less land and is easily degraded. In international trade, any environmental protection measure may be a trade barrier while benefiting environmental protection. Therefore, trade disputes caused by the environmental protection requirements of packaging have accelerated the development of "green packaging" in various countries in the world. For example, Austria began implementing new packaging regulations in October 1993; the British government requires packaging material manufacturers to develop plans for the reuse of packaging waste. Other countries and regions, especially developed countries and regions, also have a positive response to "green packaging." From the perspective of the “green packaging” measures of various countries in the world, the following two aspects are mainly included:

(1) Formulate regulations to regulate packaging

In order to protect the environment in the country, many developed countries have formulated packing regulations that restrict the unreasonable behavior of the packaging industry through legal means. In Germany's Decree of Packaging Waste Disposal promulgated in June 1992, Germany stipulated that the quantity and weight of goods packaging should be limited to the minimum range, and in the case of technical conditions permitting and consistent with the relevant provisions of the goods, The packaging must be used twice. If there is no re-use condition, the packaging material can be used after reprocessing.

These environmental protection laws and regulations for the packaging industry have played a positive and important role in ensuring and promoting the smooth progress of international trade as the environmental protection movement has been rising. They have contributed to the global environmental protection cause.

(2) Improve the technological content in the packaging industry to improve packaging

There are two basic ways to achieve "green packaging": 1 Save and simplify packaging. The packaging materials and design are mainly for the purpose of protecting the goods and facilitating transportation. The phenomenon of “excessive packaging” appeared on the international market went beyond packaging functional requirements and design requirements. From the perspective of environmental protection, it wastes resources and aggravates environmental pollution. And it may also affect international competitiveness due to the increase in packaging costs. Saving and simplifying packaging can be achieved through improved design and adoption of new technologies. Some large companies in the European Community have successively developed lightweight, high-strength glass bottles and glass cans, and designed thin-wall beer containers that save aluminum. In the United States has begun to popular simplified packaging. In the first half of 1994, sales of simplified packaging products in the US supermarkets increased by 2.6%. This year, a country has developed new packaging products using potatoes as raw materials for food packaging. 2 packaging reuse and recycling recycling. The recycling of packaging, recycling and recycling are effective methods for the rational use of packaging materials and have now received the attention of countries. German technicians have researched and developed the technology of regenerating and regenerating rubbish and waste, and about 60% of the rubbish can be recycled. This technology is classified by automated machines and can be used as recycled materials after being technically processed or used as fuel.

At present, the recycling technology of glass, aluminum, paper and other packaging materials in the world is relatively mature, and the recycling rate is also high. In 1989, the recycling rate of American cans reached 61%, and that of Hong Kong was 90%. The paper recycling rates were: 14% in Japan, 22% in the United States, and more than 50% in the European Community. Japan also achieved a 26% recovery rate for the more difficult to use plastics.

The paper bags and paper bags that were rarely seen in the supermarkets of many developed countries have also increased in the past two years. In the field of food packaging in Japan, there has been a “green” wave of paper packaging instead of plastic packaging. Some foreign-related service industries in China have also begun replacing their original plastic bags with cloth bags. All these provide good conditions for recycling and recycling of packaging.

2 Faced with the Countermeasures of China's "Green Packaging" Tide

China's packaging industry started late, and enterprises ignore the packaging situation is still very serious. In the international market, consumers in many developed countries put forward “4R” requirements for the goods they purchase, namely: reducing the initial waste of materials, reusing large containers, recycling recycling, and energy regeneration. Many countries have formulated various regulations for packaging waste. We should study the "green packaging" countermeasures in accordance with the needs of the world market and our country's actual conditions.

(1) Pay attention to packaging pollution and increase resource utilization

China has a large population and the total amount of packaging waste is high. Due to the loose management of packaging waste, packaging waste can be seen everywhere in many large and medium-sized cities, tourist resorts, railway lines, and river basins, causing serious environmental pollution. In addition, China is still a large developing country. Its economic strength is not strong and per capita resources are insufficient. However, waste utilization rate is very low, and the paper recycling rate is only 15%. At the same time, China has imported hundreds of thousands of tons of pulp each year with a large amount of foreign exchange, resulting in the waste of resources and the outflow of foreign exchange.

The development of China's packaging industry will increase the total amount of packaging materials such as plastics, glass, and metals. If we do not increase the recovery rate and reduce the total amount of waste, the degree of environmental pollution will further increase. Therefore, we must make the whole society pay attention to packaging recycling, fully and effectively use resources, reduce costs, reduce pollution, and reduce trade difficulties caused by packaging problems.

(2) Strengthen the development of packaging technology

From the point of view of China's export packaging, there are problems with poor material quality, poor gasketing, unreasonable transport strapping, unclean appearance, and lack of hygiene standards. In the face of "green packaging" requirements in the international market, we must vigorously promote the development of packaging technology.

The cost of paper in China is higher than that of plastics, which makes the environmental protection requirements of the packaging contradict with the interests of the enterprise. There is a contradiction between environmental protection and economic growth. To resolve this contradiction, we must increase technological content, improve technology, and reduce costs. At present, China's plastics, rubber and other industries have developed rapidly. Fresh raw materials have been declining. Recycling companies are lagging behind in recycling technology, and high collection and transportation costs have caused higher costs. The difference between the two is getting smaller and smaller. . Therefore, we must constantly devote ourselves to the research, development and utilization of new technologies and new processes, accelerate the improvement of recycling technologies, reduce the cost of recycled raw materials, and develop "green packaging" materials so as to occupy the market more powerfully in the further future.

(3) Strengthening supporting research

Recycling and recycling involve a wide range of areas and require organic coordination and coordination in all aspects, with funds, materials, personnel, and technical support. At the same time, it is also necessary to combine recycling and recycling with environmental protection, such as environmental damage analysis, to internalize the external loss of packaging waste, that is, to include environmental costs of packaging waste pollution in the operating costs, which is conducive to environmental protection, Also conducive to earnings.

(4) Improve the corresponding laws and regulations

As laws and regulations should be clearly targeted and mandatory, it should be able to effectively regulate the production behavior of packaging industry enterprises and the service behaviors of the packaging service industry as well as the individual behavior of consumers. In addition, laws and regulations should also fully reflect the "green" spirit, and link the environmental costs of packaging waste with the operations of companies and service industries, prompting them to save, simplify packaging, and recycle and reuse packaging waste. Legal regulations for packaging industry companies and packaging service industries are effective because they are the "source" of packaging waste.

(5) Strengthen the organization of the organization

Developed countries have specialized agencies for product packaging research. France has a national packaging institute consisting of 2,000-3,000 experts; there are several universities in the United States with packaging departments; and some countries have established packing associations. These have become the basic conditions for carrying out "green packaging" research. Most of the packaging research institutions in China are departmental ownership, and the research content is limited to the scope of work in this department. Therefore, the unreasonable situation of China's packaging institutions and packaging education restricts the further development of packaging research in China. Strengthening the organization and construction of packaging research and institutions as well as packaging professional education and training are all necessary conditions for China to welcome the world's "green packaging" wave. Therefore, the specific circumstances of our country cause full attention of governments at all levels and relevant departments.

Source: Scientific Management Research