New regulations for degradable plastics are released, where is the development direction of the plasticization industry?

In 2023, domestic and foreign policies on plastic pollution prevention and control have become more stringent, and plastic restriction measures have been upgraded. China aims to achieve the basic establishment of a management system for the production, circulation, consumption and recycling of plastic products by 2025, and Beijing aims to stop using non-degradable disposable plastic shopping bags by the end of 2024. In addition, France, Germany, Thailand, Australia and other countries are gradually banning disposable plastic packaging, tableware, etc., and British supermarkets will fully introduce a deposit system for plastic bottles and cans to promote the effective recycling of plastic bottles. On February 1, the much-discussed "Carbon and Environmental Footprint of Plastic Biobased plastics Part 1: General Principles" will be officially implemented. The introduction of the standard provides a standard technical basis for the evaluation of the carbon footprint and environmental footprint of bio-based plastics, and will boost the establishment of a carbon-neutral standard system for the plastics industry and guide the green and low-carbon development of the industry. As relevant policies continue to advance, it is expected that the alternative demand for disposable, non-degradable plastic products will gradually be released. From the perspective of the downstream application market, the market segments covered by alternative plastics involve disposable plastic bags, express packaging, disposable tableware, agricultural plastic film, disposable straws and other segments. Polylactic acid (PLA) is considered to be the main alternative product to solve the "white pollution" of plastic products, and is also the most industrialized biodegradable material at present, and the polylactic acid industry development will enter the next golden period. According to the data, it is expected that by 2025, the market space of degradable plastics related to the domestic plastic restriction will reach 4.11 million tons. This huge incremental market will lay the foundation for the development of polylactic acid industry.

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Plastic pollution is an environmental challenge of global concern. More and more countries continue to upgrade the "plastic limit" measures, actively research and develop and promote alternative products, continue to strengthen policy guidance, enhance the awareness of enterprises and the public of the harm of plastic pollution and participate in the awareness of plastic pollution control, and promote green production and lifestyle. Let's take a look at the latest domestic and foreign plastic restriction measures!

China: New regulations on national standards for bio-based plastics will be implemented in February

In January 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the control of plastic Pollution", which is considered to be China's "most stringent plastic restriction order in history". The guideline pointed out that the production, sale and use of some plastic products should be banned and restricted in an orderly manner, and alternative products should be actively promoted, and the production and sale of ultra-thin plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm should be prohibited. Regarding non-degradable plastic bags and disposable plastic tableware, the opinions put forward the prohibition target in three time nodes in 2020, 2022 and 2025 respectively. By 2025, the management system for the production, circulation, consumption, recycling and disposal of plastic products will be basically established, the multi-component co-governance system will be basically formed, the development and application level of alternative products will be further improved, the amount of plastic waste in key cities will be significantly reduced, and plastic pollution will be effectively controlled.

At the end of 2022, Beijing took the lead in carrying out the "new action" to limit plastic, and launched 12 measures to help Miyun and Yanqing build a model of plastic pollution control. Make the "Beijing demonstration" for the national plastic pollution control work, and promote the green development of ecological conservation areas to a new level. The 12 measures include increasing the promotion of biodegradable agricultural film, strengthening the treatment of disposable plastic products such as tourist attractions above grade in the jurisdiction, rural guest houses, and standardizing the recycling and utilization of plastic products. It is proposed that the Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Municipal Water Bureau and the Municipal Development and Reform Commission will support and guide the long-term positioning monitoring work of the two districts in combination with the field head system and cultivated land quality, deploy farmland monitoring points, continue to carry out plastic film residue monitoring, deploy monitoring points in the Miyun Reservoir and key river sections, lakes and reservoirs within the jurisdiction, and continue to carry out microplastic monitoring in water bodies. Comprehensively grasp the status quo and change trend of regional microplastic pollution. In addition, the Commerce Department should guide and standardize the farmers' market to achieve unified purchase and sale of plastic shopping bags, and gradually promote alternative products; Stop using non-degradable single-use plastic shopping bags by the end of 2024.