Courier services using excessive packaging materials: report

HANGZHOU - No country in the world delivers more packages than China thanks to booming e-commerce, but a recent report revealed that many goods are not properly packaged when being delivered.

Overuse of tape, plastic bags and stuffing materials has led to excessive packaging for parcels and there are no clear rules on how to dispose of these materials, a report jointly issued by the State Post Bureau and Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication said.

Packaging has ballooned into a multi-billion yuan business in China as more goods ordered online are being delivered by courier services. But so far, the country only stipulates requirements on how to dispose of courier receipts.

Packing materials such as tape and plastics, the report says, are very damaging to the environment and should be recycled.

It urged regulators and companies to make an effort to reduce the environmental impact of packaging.