100-Day Countdown to the Ban on Non-Degradable Plastics in Express Delivery! How to Address the Pressure of 190 Billion Parcels?

Industry-end: Despite the implementation of green initiatives such as "2582" and "9917", as well as local action plans in provinces like Shandong and Anhui, challenges persist including weak collaboration between upstream and downstream sectors, high costs, and difficulties in recycling. Previously, penalties for noncompliance were lenient, leading to the common practice of "perfunctory compliance for inspections" among enterprises. Even Hainan, a demonstration province for green development, has seen some outlets mixing non-degradable adhesive tapes.

Enterprise-end: Most express delivery companies have not released plans to replace nondegradable adhesive tapes. Only J&T Express has clearly committed to a full-scale ban on non-degradable plastics by 2025; its usage of degradable adhesive tapes increased by 253.4% in 2024. Leading enterprises have not announced timetables, casting doubts on the realization of the (plastic ban) target.

Stringent Supervision: The revised Interim Regulations on Express Delivery came into effect in June 2025, with a maximum fine of 20,000 yuan for illegal use of non-environmentally friendly packaging. Shanghai, Haikou and other cities have launched special inspections.

Impending Critical Test: The surge in express delivery volume during the "Double 11" shopping spree will be a "sudden assessment" of enterprises' environmental responsibilities.

Collaboration is Key: Each 1% reduction in the use of non-degradable adhesive tape can cut plastic pollution by over 1 billion meters annually. It is necessary for the production end to reduce the cost of environmentally friendly materials, for delivery outlets to proactively replace non-degradable packaging, and to improve recycling systems. More importantly, consumers' support for simple packaging is also essential.