Jilin Province: The First "Forbidden" Province

At the beginning of 2015, a challenging green journey began in the mountains of Matsuyama.

On January 1, Jilin Province became the nation's first “forbidden” province. The battle for “forbidden plastic” was officially launched! It is forbidden to produce, sell, and provide disposable non-degradable plastic shopping bags and plastic tableware, which are fully implemented within the province.

The implementation of the ban on plastics involves all aspects of social life, whether the people’s consumption is recognized, whether law enforcement inspections are in place, and whether the replacement of goods can meet the supply demand? After the implementation of the plastic ban on January 1, with these issues, the reporter went deep into all parts of Jilin Province and visited the implementation of the ban.

All localities respond fully, and propaganda, supervision, and inspection do not fall

On the early morning of January 1, the law enforcement officers of the Jilin province’s industrial and commercial grassroots units fully dispatched, inspected the licenses, ledgers, signs, and quality of the businesses and plastic products of their respective jurisdictions, and distributed propaganda manuals and other methods to promote “prohibition. Plastic" environmental protection concept.

When the reporter followed the Jilin Provincial Business Survey Group and visited some farmers' markets and supermarkets in Changchun City, it was discovered that many large supermarkets had placed "plaguinous" propaganda exhibition boards in a prominent position. In the festival atmosphere of the China Resources Vanguard Supermarket located on Nanhu Park Road, decorated with red lanterns, the white and green “forbidden” billboards are particularly eye-catching.

“Protect the earth, reduce white pollution! For your health, for food safety, you have me.” Next to the shopping guide, a child was teaching his mother under the guidance of a preaching sign.

One week before the “forbidden plastic” began, Jilin province began to focus on the deployment of “forbidden plastics”. In the cities of Tumen and Longjing, Yanbian Prefecture, a mobilization meeting was held. The organizers posted publicity posters in shopping malls, supermarkets, and bazaars, distributed brochures, introduced in detail the relevant regulations and the hazards of plastic products, Detailed answers to questions raised by market players.

In Baihe Shopping Mall in Changchun City, there is a large sticker advertisement advocating the prohibition of plasticization at the entrance. Many businesses have expressed that shopping malls have recently actively promoted the prohibition on plastics orders and helped them contact companies that produce and sell biodegradable plastic bags and plastic lunch boxes to help with centralized purchasing.

At a stall selling dumplings, plastic lunch boxes and plastic bags placed on the counter attracted the attention of the investigation team. After inspection, the plastic bag was a biodegradable plastic bag, but the lunch box was not degradable. Law enforcement officials told reporters that they generally convinced the use of biodegradable and non-degradable plastic bags and plastic lunch boxes. If refusal to rectify the situation, they will follow the “Jilin Province prohibits the sale and use of disposable non-biodegradable plastic bags and plastics. Tableware Regulations impose penalties on merchants.

From January 1 to January 10, 2015, the Jilin Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce formed seven inspection teams to follow up the supervision of the municipal and county bureaus. They will take special measures in the form of not issuing notifications, not listening to reports, and reaching the scene. Supervision. If the supervisors find that the work is weak, the action is slow, and the effect is not good, the system will be notified in the province and the local government departments will be notified.

The company is fully equipped with horsepower, business hypermarkets, quality supervision, and circulation.

The implementation of the ban on plastics requires the coordinated efforts of production, circulation, sales, and other aspects. From "limited plastics" to "forbidden plastics", Jilin discovered during development and explored in action. Relying on its own resource advantages, it seized opportunities for development and opened up a new journey of green development.

In Changchun Bio-Material's workshop, more than 10 sets of brand-new production lines have opened up enough horsepower. One barrel of bio-based material is being transformed into a biodegradable plastic bag along the production line, and there is an overheated production atmosphere in the factory building. In the logistics area not far away, the packaged products are waiting to be loaded and shipped to all parts of Jilin Province.

The reporter saw in Changchun Bio-based Material Innovation Industry Base that Shengda Bio, Zhejiang Hisun, Shanxi Jinhui and other companies are also stepping up production of biodegradable plastic bags and plastic tableware. At present, there are 10 polylactic acid downstream product companies that have been put into production and will be put into operation, together with the soon-to-be-set polylactic acid project of COFCO's annual output of 30,000 tons, and the Changchun Dacheng Group, which is preparing for the preliminary preparation of the polylactic acid project, Jilin's Poly. The lactic acid industry has grown to a scale that can fully meet the demand for alternative products after the enforcement of the ban.

According to Wei Dawei, researcher of the Department of Commerce of Jilin Province, before the “forbidden plastic” began, the Provincial Department of Commerce has conducted extensive research on supermarkets, shopping malls, and bazaars, and has held a mobilization meeting to call for 470,000 people in Jilin Province. Business workers actively respond to the requirements of the ban on plastics and participate in the “forbidden plastic” work. “The Provincial Department of Commerce has also formulated incentives and penalties. It will increase policy support for companies that respond positively to the government’s call for a meticulously enforced ban on plastics, including 17 items of policies including breakfast projects, agricultural super matching, Wancun Qianxiang, and renewable resources. For companies that have not implemented a prohibition order, the eligibility for policy support will be lifted."

In terms of quality inspection, Jilin has established a polylactic acid product standard system and three testing departments have established a polylactic acid detection platform. Li Junying, deputy director of the Light Industry Department of Jilin Provincial Quality Inspection Institute, said: “Generally speaking, an inspection report on polylactic acid content can be issued within 7 working days. However, through a rapid test method, 2 working days will be sufficient.”

Market responds well, sales prices, inventory issues need to be eliminated

"It's a bit more expensive, but because it's more environmentally friendly, it costs more than a few cents." At the RT-Mart supermarket in Jilin City, Mr. Zhang, the citizen, was very supportive of the ban.

“This colorful plastic bag is too polluted.” Su Shih, a citizen of Baishan, said, “I feel that prohibiting the use of disposable non-biodegradable plastic bags and plastic lunch boxes is very good, which will help reduce environmental pollution.” In the interview, the reporter It was found that along with the gradual improvement of people’s awareness of environmental protection, many consumers expressed that if they cannot prepare their own bags, they are willing to purchase environmentally-friendly biodegradable plastic bags. Sun Yingying, manager of Changchun Baihe Shopping Center, said that nowadays merchants have already used biodegradable plastic bags. However, due to the fact that the source of non-degradable plastic bags has not been sealed off, and the merchants still have a lot of inventory in their hands, there is indeed a mixed use situation. It is hoped that relevant departments can block the source of non-degradable plastic bags. In addition, some merchants and customers generally report that the price of biodegradable plastic bags is high, and hopefully it will drop in the future."