Approximately 3.27 million food boxes are used daily, and takeout waste becomes a weak link in garbage classification

Approximately 3.27 million food boxes are used daily, and takeout waste becomes a weak link in garbage classification
 
"This year's' Government Work Report 'mentioned deepening the pilot program of' garbage revolution ', promoting full coverage of garbage classification and disposal points, building all category disposal terminals, and striving to become the first batch of provincial-level' waste free cities'. As a professional in environmental impact assessment and environmental protection related matters, Liu Qian, a member of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, keenly captured the relevant content on environmental protection and garbage classification in the 'Government Work Report'.".
 
At present, China's online food delivery and catering market has been maintaining rapid growth, especially since the outbreak of the epidemic, and Jinhua is no exception. Conservatively estimated, the total daily order volume of the three major food delivery platforms in our city, Ele.me, Meituan, and Baidu, is about 1 million, with an average consumption of 3.27 disposable plastic food boxes/cups per order. This means that food delivery will generate about 3.27 million food box waste per day, a very large amount of which does not include plastic bags, leftover food, and other garbage.
 
The impact of such a large amount of food delivery waste on the environment cannot be underestimated.
 
Liu Qian introduced that the materials used in takeout packaging are mostly polypropylene and polyethylene, which are difficult to degrade and are mostly mixed with food residues and oil stains. Due to the lack of a more detailed classification and recycling system, these takeaway waste are generally directly mixed into household waste and incinerated as other waste, which not only puts great pressure on terminal disposal, but also causes pollution to the atmosphere. Committee member's suggestion: Innovate takeout packaging methods to achieve waste reduction at the source
 
How to reduce the harm caused by takeout waste when takeout becomes an indispensable way of consumption in modern life?
 
"The first step can be to start with innovative packaging methods for takeout." Liu Qian believes that in the reality that biodegradable food boxes cannot completely replace disposable plastic food boxes, it is necessary to strengthen the standardization and supervision of takeout enterprises. Subsidies can be provided to related enterprises' scientific and technological research and development, and through the use of biodegradable products to reduce taxes, takeout enterprises can actively choose to use more convenient and environmentally friendly alternative products, such as pulp food boxes, sugarcane fiber food plates, etc., to block "white pollution" from the source.
 
In the consumption process, Liu Qian suggests that areas with relatively concentrated classes should be organized as units to carry out targeted methods of sorting and collecting food delivery waste. Regular and designated sorting and collection stations should be established, innovative collection channels should be innovated, and a sound system for sorting and collecting food delivery waste in buildings should be established. Relevant systems such as floor chief responsibility system and company responsibility system should be established to strengthen the management of sorting and collecting food delivery waste.
 
In addition, in response to the problem of low recyclable value and high cleaning and sorting costs of food delivery boxes that recycling companies are unwilling to recycle, Liu Qian believes that it is necessary for the entire industry, including platforms, merchants, and end-users, to work together to connect the food delivery waste recycling chain, implement a producer responsibility system, and ensure that the corresponding responsible parties take on the responsibility of handling food delivery waste. At the same time, it is recommended to provide tax incentives to renewable resource enterprises to enable them to survive in the market, and to enable legitimate renewable resource enterprises to operate normally through market-oriented operations, forming an integrated waste management system for takeaway waste sorting, utilization (composting, meal box recycling), incineration and landfill.
 
"Of course, we also need to increase publicity to encourage citizens to reduce unnecessary takeout consumption and minimize the use of takeout utensils when necessary," Liu Qian said.
 
Our city has taken action to address the issue of food delivery waste. According to the Municipal Garbage Classification Office, at the end of last year, our city officially issued implementation measures to further strengthen plastic pollution control, and specifically organized a special rectification of disposable plastic products for takeaway garbage; Promote food and beverage delivery platforms to implement the main responsibility of reducing and replacing disposable tableware for merchants who have settled in, and add optimization options such as the number of consumer selected tableware; Promote the use of alternative products that meet performance and food safety requirements in the food and beverage delivery industry through methods such as coupons, point rewards, and discounts; Set up express packaging recycling points and takeaway food box recycling facilities.