Home>News Center>China
       
 

Excessive packaging environmental woes
By Zhuo Qiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-01 05:28

Excessive packaging is being held partially responsible for the rubbish crisis currently afflicting China's cities.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Construction, of the 3 million tons of rubbish generated in Beijing each year, 30 per cent, or 830,000 tons, are wasted packaging, 600,000 tons, or 20% of the total annual total, is considered to be 'excessive' packaging, Xinhua reported.

According to international standards, packaging that accounts for more than 15 per cent of the cost of the product is considered excessive.

In recent years, excessive packaging has become prevalent in China, leading to many problems.

Xinhua quoted Wang Weiping, a senior engineer at the Beijing Management Administration Commission, as saying that Beijing spends 1 billion yuan (US$123 million) on rubbish disposal.

He added: "If excessively packaged goods were reduced, the city could save 200 million yuan (US$24.6 million) a year."

Gu Lairu, director of Beijing's Chaoyang District Disposal Centre, said packaging and excessive packaging were major contributors to the city's rubbish crisis, accounting for over 35 per cent of household waste.

He said excessive packaging adds a burden to the city's refuse disposal system, and leads to environmental problems: Most excessive packaging is made of glass, metal and plastics, materials which cannot be easily re-used or recycled.

Experts argue that shiny packaging materials can contain chemicals which are a threat to people's health. Excessive packaging is also a drain on the limited natural resources.

(China Daily 08/01/2005 page2)



Train derailment kills six
Crowded swimming pool in Wuhan
Measures taken to ensure pork security
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Six-Party joint document could arrive today

 

   
 

PLA excels in humanitarian mission

 

   
 

New tax law needed to narrow income gap

 

   
 

China 2020: A greener and leafier landscape

 

   
 

Premier meets Zoellick on strategic dialogue

 

   
 

Nation confident of controlling pig disease

 

   
  Japan's UN comment has "ulterior motives"
   
  Premier Wen calls on scholoars in hospital
   
  Pig-borne endemic toll rises to 34 in Sichuan
   
  Central bank: Yuan rates already market regulating
   
  Nations discuss joint document draft
   
  Tornado kills 15 in E. China province
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement