Four months after the implementation of the "strictest plastic restriction order", Beijing has launched new measures to control plastic pollution. Yesterday, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission and the Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau issued the "Beijing Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan 2021 Annual Work Points", setting specific tasks and indicators for "plastic restriction".

On December 24 last year, the "Beijing Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan (2020-2025)" was released. According to preliminary investigations, since the implementation of the "Plastic Restriction Order" for four months, the sales volume of plastic shopping bags in the city has dropped by an average of 35% compared with December last year (before the release of the action plan). In response to the production and sale of obsolete plastic products such as ultra-thin plastic shopping bags and the use of non-degradable disposable plastic products by some market entities, the market supervision department has carried out multiple law enforcement inspections this year.

The sales volume of plastic shopping bags in the city has dropped significantly

According to the relevant person in charge of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, many large chain supermarkets such as Carrefour, Jingkelong, Yonghui, and Supermarket have fully replaced degradable plastic bags. Quanjude, Meizhou Dongpo, McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks and other large chain catering companies have also gradually eliminated disposable non-degradable plastic packaging bags, straws and other disposable plastic products that were commonly used in the past, and replaced them with paper or other degradable materials.

According to preliminary surveys, the sales volume of plastic shopping bags in the city has dropped by an average of 35% compared with December last year (before the release of the action plan). The proportion of slimming tape packaging in express delivery outlets has reached 90%, the amount of tape used has decreased by more than 25%, and the utilization rate of recycling transfer bags has reached more than 95%. Most star-rated hotels are able to not actively provide "six small items". 60%-70% of citizens have taken the initiative to bring their own shopping bags for shopping.

At the same time, the survey results also show that some supermarkets have mixed use of degradable and non-degradable plastic products; some catering companies still use non-degradable disposable plastic straws and non-degradable plastic bags, and still use non-degradable disposable plastic tableware (knife, fork, spoon) for dining in. The phenomenon of excessive tearing and using roll bags in supermarkets still occurs from time to time, and the proportion of consumers who choose "no tableware" on takeaway platforms is still small.

Strengthen supervision of six key industries such as catering

It is reported that this year, supervision and management of six key industries such as catering, takeaway platforms, wholesale and retail, express delivery, accommodation and exhibition industry, and agricultural production will be strengthened, supervision and management of the use of non-degradable disposable plastic products will be prohibited and restricted, and incentives such as reduction and substitution and simplified packaging will be actively promoted. At the same time, some qualified markets will be guided to take the lead in implementing centralized purchase and sale of plastic shopping bags.

This year, special supervision and inspection will be carried out on the use of "slimming tape", recycling transfer bags, express packaging bags, and transfer bags in express delivery outlets throughout the city. Study the green management plan of e-commerce platforms and express packaging, promote recyclable packaging, and guide the reduction and reuse of packaging. Urge hotels to implement the requirement of not actively providing disposable items and guide the implementation of incentives. Supervise and guide various exhibitions to prohibit the use of non-degradable plastic bags and non-degradable disposable plastic tableware, and encourage green exhibitions. Strengthen supervision and management of plastic products such as mulch, pesticide, and fertilizer packaging in agricultural and forestry inputs, and continue to carry out special work on the recycling of agricultural film and pesticide waste.

The maximum fine for business entities is 100,000 yuan

According to the requirements, the use of non-degradable plastic bags is prohibited in shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores and other retail stores in the built-up areas of the city (including retail delivery services provided by stores or e-commerce), and take-out services (including dine-in packaging) in the built-up areas. This year, law enforcement will be strengthened against the illegal production and sale of ultra-thin plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm, polyethylene mulch with a thickness of less than 0.01 mm, disposable foam plastic tableware, and disposable plastic cotton swabs.

Wu Xian, director of the Product Quality and Safety Supervision and Management Division of the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, introduced that the market supervision department will conduct investigations and disposals in accordance with the law in response to clues of suspected illegal use of non-degradable plastic shopping bags by business entities transferred by industry authorities, reported by the public, and reported by the media. At present, the Municipal Market Supervision and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Corps has launched an investigation into three business entities. For those who are found to be true, they will be fined not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 100,000 yuan in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste", and the penalty information will be made public to the society in accordance with relevant regulations.

It is reported that the city is accelerating the establishment of a "1+1+N" policy system for plastic pollution control: the legal guarantee role of the "Regulations on the Management of Domestic Waste" is becoming increasingly prominent; the coordinating role of the "Action Plan" has been initially formed; "N" special work plans and standards are constantly supplemented and improved, and 10 special work plans have been issued so far. Some districts have formulated district-level plastic pollution control action plans based on local realities. For example, Yanqing District took the opportunity of urban and rural environmental improvement to incorporate plastic pollution control into the special action of civilized tourism and honest operation. Pinggu District has established a district-level plastic pollution control action plan working group, which plans to take the lead in stopping the use of non-degradable plastic bags in towns, townships and rural markets.

Text/Liu Yang, reporter of this newspaper

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