The revised "Interim Regulations on Express Delivery" will soon come into effect, filling the gap in the governance system of express delivery packaging - "slimming down and greening" of express delivery packaging (big data observation). Starting from June 1st this year, the revised "Interim Regulations on Express Delivery" (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations") will be officially implemented, adding a special chapter on "express delivery packaging" for the first time, filling the institutional gap in the governance of express delivery packaging, and providing strong legal protection for the green development of the express delivery industry. As a major express delivery country, China's express delivery industry has entered the era of billions of parcels. By 2024, the volume of express delivery business will exceed 175 billion parcels, a year-on-year increase of 21.5%. The large-scale and rapidly growing express delivery business has led to the extensive use and disposal of express packaging, and packaging management has become an important task for the express delivery industry to move towards high-quality development. What are the current achievements in the management of express packaging? How to deepen the green transformation of the industry? The reporter conducted an interview. Design and produce cardboard boxes that are more environmentally friendly and tape that is more "green". Support the use of new technologies, materials, and processes to develop and produce express packaging that meets green environmental requirements. ”The Provisional Regulations on Express Delivery stipulate that abandoned express delivery packaging mainly consists of a mixture of commodity packaging, e-commerce packaging, and delivery service packaging. ”Zhu Li, Deputy Director of the Industry Department of the Development Research Center of the State Post Bureau, introduced that in terms of materials, there are two types: paper such as packaging boxes and plastic such as tape and inflatable fillers. Anchoring the goals of greenization, reduction, and recyclability, express packaging is undergoing a transformation from the source. The production base of Jingxing Packaging Materials Co., Ltd. in Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province, transports tons of waste paper to the pulping workshop, where it undergoes processes such as crushing, filtering, purification, and drying before being rolled off the production line one by one. The corrugated paper used for express packaging comes entirely from recycled cardboard boxes. ”According to Hu Zhonghua, the general manager of the company, after technological improvements, approximately 1.1 tons of waste cardboard boxes are consumed for every 1 ton of corrugated pulp produced. After the raw paper enters the cardboard processing workshop, the waste generated during the production process will be transported back to the paper mill, not only realizing the recycling of waste paper, but also achieving internal digestion of waste materials. The raw materials can be recycled, and the packaging materials can be upgraded. Moving to the packaging laboratory, a medium-sized express packaging box is undergoing compression testing. Through collaborative research and development with downstream express delivery companies, the pressure resistance of corrugated cardboard boxes has been significantly improved. Now, a 3-layer corrugated cardboard box can withstand the strength of the previous 5 layers, "said Hu Zhonghua. Here, cardboard boxes are more environmentally friendly; That way, the tape is even greener. On the fully automated production line of Anhui Huayi Packaging Co., Ltd. in Nanling Economic Development Zone, Anhui, rolls of adhesive tape are rapidly formed. These seemingly ordinary tapes conceal technological codes. When recycling and pulping waste cardboard boxes, there will always be a large amount of difficult to handle adhesive tape remaining, forming industrial waste. ”The company's general manager Wang Junxiang said that after 5 years of technological research and development, the company has achieved the industrial preparation of fully biodegradable adhesive tape, with an annual production capacity of 600 million square meters. "Currently, this product has been widely used in many enterprises such as JD Logistics and SF Express, and the market demand is steadily expanding." For some high-frequency return and exchange products, Zhongtong Express has developed and launched the "Multi Life" cardboard box, which has 3 water seal rubber strips on the top of the cardboard box and can be reused; In the logistics and warehousing usage scenario, Shunxinhui Hangzhou Logistics Center replaces disposable plastic wrapping film with reusable straps, which can reduce the use of 300 tons of plastic per year... "The content of the Regulation mainly targets express delivery enterprises, but it also has a traction and incentive constraint effect on packaging production enterprises, recycling enterprises and other related entities. Front end collaborative reduction can help form a green supply chain for express packaging. ”Professor Liu Jianguo from the School of Environment at Tsinghua University said. Data shows that currently, 248 packaging products from over a hundred companies have passed the green product certification. Using original direct shipping packaging materials for circulation, "increasing quantity", "slimming", optimizing express packaging methods and packaging structure design, and saving packaging materials. ”Promoting the original shipping of goods and reducing the need for secondary packaging in the delivery process. "- The" Interim Regulations on Express Delivery "states that the circulation and use of express delivery packaging is a major aspect of its management. On the big network of express logistics, thousands of express packages are delivered through original shipping and intelligent warehousing, achieving "light loading". Entering the JD Logistics Asia No.1 Intelligent Industrial Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, a 24 meter high fully automatic three-dimensional warehouse, high-speed stacker cranes shuttle back and forth, and pallet conveyor systems operate in an orderly manner, with about 40000 various types of goods rapidly circulating. Licu mainly handles original packaging goods such as household appliances and home furnishings, without the need for secondary packaging, and can be shipped directly with labels. ”Park manager Gao Jiaqi introduced that through communication and cooperation with manufacturers, the proportion of original direct delivery has increased from about 5% a few years ago to 25% last year, and is expected to further increase to 40% this year. By utilizing original direct shipping, JD Logistics will reduce secondary packaging by over 1 billion pieces by 2024; By strengthening collaboration, Yunda Zhejiang Cloud Warehouse will help e-commerce companies reduce secondary packaging by over 3 million pieces by 2024. Intelligence adds assistance to the reduction of express packaging. At the Hangzhou Tangqi E-commerce Warehouse Distribution Center of Zhongtong Cloud Warehouse, after the sorting and packaging personnel scan the code and enter the order information, the system intelligently pops up recommended box types based on product categories, quantities, sizes, and other information. We have upgraded our warehousing system and added intelligent packaging material recommendation function, allowing each cardboard box to be fully utilized. ”Xu Yonggui, the head of the Brand Department of Zhongtong Cloud Warehouse Market, introduced that after multiple iterations, the functional accuracy has reached over 90%. According to the daily average order volume of 12000 pieces in the warehouse distribution center, the overall consumption of consumables can be reduced by about 20%. Currently, it has been promoted and applied in nearly 300 warehouses across the country. Looking at the express logistics network, green packaging is being implemented in more scenarios. During the peak season for lychee delivery, Hainan SF Express has adopted a self-propelled modified atmosphere fresh-keeping box - the "Fengdiao Box", which does not require ice packs or pre cooling operations. It not only reduces the weight of 2.5 kilograms of lychee by about 1 kilogram, but also significantly extends the fruit's shelf life; For the transportation of valuable industrial products, Debon Express adopts circular pallet boxes instead of traditional disposable wooden packaging, effectively reducing the use of packaging consumables while ensuring the quality and safety of the transportation process... According to the relevant person in charge of the State Post Bureau, as of the end of last year, the proportion of secondary packaging for e-commerce express no longer exceeded 95%, and intelligent packaging technology has reduced packaging consumables by 20%, achieving full coverage of circular packaging in transit links. This year, the State Post Bureau will promote green governance of industry packaging in multiple dimensions, vigorously promote original direct delivery, conduct nationwide inspection of express packaging, release typical cases of circular packaging applications, and promote the use of recyclable packaging in local express delivery to increase the proportion to 10%. Recycling and disposal, intelligent recycling box packaging management, and closed-loop optimization of business processes to improve the recycling and utilization rate of packaging materials. ”Encourage the establishment of packaging recycling facilities and equipment in express delivery business premises, enterprises, institutions, residential communities, and other appropriate places. "-" Interim Regulations on Express Delivery "Branch stations are the last link in the circulation of express packaging and the key to forming a closed loop in packaging governance. End of line express delivery stations across the country are now becoming increasingly green. As noon approached, people came and went at the Baisha Postal Service Station in Zijingang Campus of Zhejiang University. After picking up the package, the teachers and students casually put the cardboard boxes into the recycling bin. The staff will pick, process, and store these cardboard boxes on a regular basis, and then provide them free of charge for teachers and students to use for mailing. At first, we set up recycling bins mainly to avoid the impact of scattered cardboard boxes on the environment. With the surge in express delivery volume, the number of discarded cardboard boxes also increased significantly, so we launched this' recycling plan '. ”According to Gao Guoqiang, the person in charge of the postal service station at Zhejiang University, the station currently receives nearly 10000 parcels of express delivery into Hong Kong every day, of which 90% of the cardboard boxes used are recycled and reused, resulting in significant energy-saving and carbon reduction effects. On the green digital screen at the entrance of the station, logistics data, green behavior, green points and other data are jumping in real time, and the environmental behavior of teachers and students is visualized here. We have collaborated with the Zhejiang University Postal Service Station to launch a green digital management system for universities, and launched a 'green public welfare account'. With the help of algorithms, behaviors such as walking for delivery and packaging recycling are converted into carbon credits, and a green digital ecosystem is built through point incentives. "Chang Xuelian, the green public welfare manager of Cainiao Campus Station, introduced that since the system was launched, the platform's green credits have been increasing year by year, and users' willingness to protect the environment has continued to strengthen. At the Hainan Provincial Resident Identity Card Issuance Center, postal enterprises use reusable express boxes for packaging, significantly reducing the cost of individual mail packaging; In Shenzhen, Guangdong, SF Express has deployed smart recycling bins at 15 business outlets, collecting nearly 4000 kilograms of waste materials; In Zhejiang, the province achieved the reuse of over 92 million old cardboard boxes last year, a year-on-year increase of about 12%... By strengthening the management of end of pipe recycling, the traditional linear model of "manufacturing use waste" in the express delivery industry is accelerating its transformation into a full life cycle system of "production consumption recycling reuse". The green governance of express packaging involves multiple links and departmental responsibilities such as production, use, recycling, and disposal. The key to achieving a comprehensive solution is to work together throughout the entire chain. ”Zhu Li said that the Regulation clarifies the responsibilities of relevant parties in the green governance of express packaging, achieves the coordination and connection between laws, standards, and policies, and marks the further improvement of the legal implementation system for express packaging. Next, the State Post Bureau will promote the implementation of standards and policies for express packaging series, guide innovation in express packaging products, technologies, and models, and accelerate the green transformation of express packaging. (New Society)