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At the beginning of the year, the former State Economic and Trade Commission promulgated the “Elimination of backward production capacity, technology and product catalog” (the first batch), asked to ban, disable the one-time foam tableware, deadline. This regulation is known in the line as “6 orders” or “ban order”.

February 26, 2013, the National Development and Reform Commission issued Decree No. 21, the “industrial structure adjustment guide directory (2011 this)” the relevant items for local adjustments in the elimination of catalogs to delete a one-time foam plastic tableware. This means that the ban on 14 years of disposable foam tableware was “lifted”.

What is the reason for “lifting the ban”?

Why was it disabled?

Is the disposable foam tableware safe?

After the lifting of the ban should go?

Was the utensils had been banned?

Due to “white pollution” was banned, but 14 years “ban more than”; there are 100 production enterprises, the annual market consumption of more than 100 million

China Plastics Association Plastics Technology Committee members Yang Huidi introduced, one-time foam tableware is the main raw material extracted from the oil polystyrene (PS). In 1985, China from Taiwan and Japan to introduce foam production technology, and foam box pressure, insulation, good rigidity and other characteristics, to meet the domestic demand for disposable packaging materials.

Yang Huidi said that the foam tableware in 1986 began to use on the railway, when the windows are not closed, there is no bag collection, abandoned lunch boxes seriously damaged the railway along the ecology and landscape. In 1995, the use of disposable foam tableware was stopped at the railway station. In addition, the 1998 Yangtze River floods, foam tableware floating to Gezhouba, causing the generator unit failure, a direct result of the “6 orders” the introduction.

Plastic research experts, China Light Industry Information Center, former senior engineer Tang Saizhen also pointed out that it is the lack of management, resulting in the proliferation of disposable foam tableware. International Food Packaging Association, the Secretary-General Dong Jinshi, a written interview with reporters also said that “white pollution” is the casual dumping of garbage and the lack of effective recovery system caused by the consequences.

In fact, although the ban, foam tableware is still on the market.

Tangsai Zhen introduced, foam tableware as a waterproof and anti-oil, rigid, good insulation, suitable for the characteristics of Chinese food packaging, floating population in more places have a large market.

Yang Huidi said that one-time foam tableware favored by the market depends on its cost advantage. A foamed lunch box requires only 4-5 grams of polystyrene, while a polypropylene (PP) lunch box requires about 20 grams of material. So the one-time bubble lunch box market price of less than 1 cents, while the polypropylene lunch box is generally 5 cents.

Insiders said, “6 orders” after the release of foam tableware manufacturing enterprises into the ground, the majority of enterprises still use the early 90s of last century from Japan to introduce the production line, product performance almost no improvement. Into the underground production enterprises and the original is difficult to use the use of foam tableware small traders, leading to higher costs of supervision and punishment, 14 years of one-time foam tableware “ban more than”.

China Plastic Association Secretary-General Ma Zhanfeng said that at present there are more than 100 domestic production of foam tableware, accounting for about 70% of the lunch box market, the annual market consumption of more than 100 billion.

How is the recovery problem solved?

Experts believe that waste foam tableware can be used for the production of plastic daily necessities, building materials, etc .; some users that the recovery system is not perfect, the lifting of the ban will only be more chaotic

Foam tableware should not be degraded, buried in the ground for many years may not be rotten, this Yang Huidi said that plastic products are more difficult to degrade, no certain water, soil and other environmental conditions, it is difficult to degradation.

Tang Saizhen said that the most reasonable way is to establish a recycling system, from the management to start to avoid causing white pollution. Waste foam tableware processed, can do plastic daily necessities, building materials and coatings. “The current plastic recycling technology has been very mature.” Tang 赛 Zhen said that the localization of processing equipment, equipment prices from five or six million yuan down to a few hundred thousand dollars a. Tang Saizhen that foreign experience has shown that as long as the management in place, recycling foam tableware can save resources.

But Yang Huidi said that the use of foam tableware recycling is also facing some problems. Polystyrene foam, light weight large, recycling needs to be compressed, the cost is relatively high. In addition, disposable tableware varieties are more must be classified, can be degraded, can not be degraded tableware separate, otherwise it will affect the quality of recycled products.

“Resource recycling is a public welfare work, recycling income is limited, the need for government policy support.” Yang Huidi said that the last century 90′s, Shanghai has implemented the “3 cents project”, that is, the production of a lunch box, to the government 3 cents. The government uses the funds to subsidize the recycling enterprises. However, this policy is not a “national game”, the surrounding area of ??Shanghai bubble box manufacturers because of cost advantages, squeeze the local market. Yang Huidi proposed to learn from Shanghai “3 cents project” experience, the establishment of “a national chess” recycling system.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission on the “one-time foam plastic tableware,” the adjustment of the note, one-time foam plastic tableware lifted the reasons include “can reduce the consumption of raw materials, saving oil resources, and after use can be recycled” and so on. But many people think that the lifting of the ban can not only count the “economic accounts”, “environmental protection account” to count, in the settlement of technical problems and the establishment of a complete recovery system, the lifting of the ban will “white pollution” situation is more serious.

How can I use to relax the heart?

Foam tableware to be scientific use, not suitable for microwave heating, but also should not contain high temperature food

Some users worry that the foam tableware may be released after the release of harmful substances. Dong Jinshi that polystyrene heat resistance is poor, not resistant to boiling water. More than 70 degrees Celsius will occur deformation, the temperature is too high will lead to harmful low molecular substances. He also said that the foam after the polystyrene tableware, the density becomes smaller, holes increase, it is easy to absorb oil. With the high temperature heating, more harmful substances precipitated into the food, was eaten, endangering human health.

The face of disposable foam tableware toxicity controversy, the National Development and Reform Commission commissioned by the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention of food safety by the relevant national standards were tested. Experimental results show that disposable foam plastic tableware in line with “food packaging with polystyrene resin hygiene standards” (GB9692-1988) and “food packaging with polystyrene molding products health standards” (GB9689-1988).

Tangsai Zhen that polystyrene depolymerization temperature of up to 280 degrees Celsius above, and the current production of polystyrene resin, the residual styrene is far below the national standard.

Tangsai Zhen said that one-time foam plastic is not high temperature, not suitable for microwave heating, not suitable for boiling water, but also not in full bloom 100 degrees Celsius high temperature food, but does not affect the use of fast food industry.

But also some people on the fast food industry, roadside shops can be held according to scientific standards of food is not optimistic, users “run fast” to say: “fast food pay attention to a fast, many are fried up on the dishes into a one-time It ‘s almost impossible to standardize the use of the fast – food industry.

There are also people worried that the foam tableware in the burning, will produce strong cancer “two (mouth evil) British”. Tang Sai-zhen explained that one of the conditions produced by the “two” is that the organic compounds containing benzene ring and chlorine (bromine) are present at a high temperature of 300 to 400 degrees Celsius, while the polystyrene foam tableware Production, use and incineration process do not have the above conditions.

Tang Saizhen pointed out that the foam “safety” hidden dangers, mainly from some enterprises in the production of recycled waste by adding fake raw materials. “The problem is caused by poor supervision, and material has nothing to do.” She admitted that in order to reduce costs, manufacturers use of plastic waste production, disrupting the market order, but also increased consumer concerns about security.

How to manage after release?

To develop more detailed product standards, strengthen supervision, improve industry self-discipline, and guide consumers to rational use

National Development and Reform Commission Industrial Coordination Division on the one-time foam tableware “lifting the ban,” an interview with reporters, said the entry removed from the category, including a consideration is the social environment changes, people’s awareness of environmental protection, environmental protection and the city Health regulations continue to improve the system, readily discarded garbage has been drastically reduced, the gradual recovery of waste recycling system, the initial introduction of the ban on disposable foam plastic tableware use environment has undergone great changes. It is understood that, in addition to the vast majority of countries and regions outside China, such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, has been in the production and use of disposable foam plastic tableware.

When the “white pollution” to prohibit the production, and now the social environment has undergone great changes, Tang Sai Zhen said that the railway windows closed, there are better recovery procedures, from this point of view, lifting the ban is reasonable.

Foam tableware lifted, will face a series of problems, Yang Huidi that bear the brunt of the product standards.

Yang Huidi said that although there are “plastic disposable tableware general technical requirements”, but the standard coverage is wide, including all kinds of tableware except paper. She recommends the development of a special standard for disposable foamed utensils on the basis of existing standards.

Second, we must strengthen the quality control, improve industry self-discipline. She said that the use of waste plastics as raw materials for the production of tableware, the use of fluorescent brighteners and other additives, will hinder product safety, and ultimately will damage the industry order. She also suggested that consumers should be used to guide the correct use of disposable foam tableware, abandon the discarded garbage abuse, to help better recycling.

There are consumers that pessimistic, that the recycling of foam tableware is not as good as the experts said, “look at the status of battery and energy-saving lamps recycling, you can think of foam utensils lifted after the future.” User “flow thinking of” that.