中国可回收塑料包装设计标准的现状与未来路径

and future path ofChina’s recyclableplastic packagingdesign standards WHY IS PLASTIC PACKAGING DESIGN THE KEY TOTACKLING THE PLASTIC POLLUTION CRISIS? Against the backdrop of accelerating global efforts toaddress plastic pollution,design-driven approaches havebecome a dominant trend in packaging governance.TheEU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR),1formally adopted in 2024, stipulates thatby 2030 allpackaging placed on the market must be “designed forrecyclability”. Starting in 2035, packaging will also beassessed based on its actual large-scale recyclabilityin real-world conditions.In China, as the concepts ofgreen design and eco-design2become an integral part ofthe national “Dual Carbon” (carbon peaking and carbonneutrality) strategy, policies and industry standardsrelated to plastic packaging design are advancing atan accelerating pace. Product design includes all the early decisions on materials,structure, and functionality, and sets out the conditionsfor whether packaging can be effectively reused, recycled,or otherwise circulated back into the economy. Oncepackaging enters the market, its reusability, recyclability,and compostability all depend on whether its design followscircular economy principles and it is compatible withcorresponding infrastructure. GLOBAL LANDSCAPE:THE EVOLUTION OF DESIGN STANDARDS Under CEN/TC 261/SC 4/WG3, new European Standardswill unify “design for recycling” criteria, establish commonassessment methods for packaging recyclability —particularly for plastics — and support mandatory marketrequirements from 2030, including alignment with recycledcontent and circularity objectives. As global regulatory frameworks for packaging undergorapid transformation, the international community isadvancing design-oriented legislation and standards.Regions including the EU and the UK have introducedmandatory requirements for plastic packaging design,providing businesses with clearer compliance pathways. The UK, through the Plastic Packaging Tax,5requiresminimum recycled content in plastic packaging or imposesadditional taxes. The EU has movedbeyond voluntary guidance tobinding lawwith thePPWR,which makes“design forrecyclability” a legal obligationfor packaging placedon the market. In addition, broader ecodesign legislationin the EU is being strengthened to require products —including packaging — to meet sustainability criteria, suchas durability, repairability, and recyclability, throughouttheir lifecycle. Alongside design requirements, the EU isstrengthening economic incentives through mandatorypost-consumer recycled (PCR) content requirementsand a reinforcedExtended Producer Responsibility (EPR)framework, linking packaging design choices to recyclabilityperformance, recycled material uptake, and producer costobligations across the full lifecycle. US plastic packaging regulation is primarily state-led.Washington State’s SB 5022,6for example, mandatesPCR content and bans expanded polystyrene (EPS) foodservice foam packaging, while industry-led APR[4.1][5.1]design guidelines7provide an important reference to theglobal market. Additionally, at the industry self-regulation level, theConsumer Goods Forum’s Golden Design Rules8promoteoptimal design for plastic packaging by eliminatingunnecessary, non-recyclable materials, and serve as akey reference for global companies’ procurement, designevaluation, and supplier management. European industry organisations have established a rangeof sectoral guidelines, rating systems, and certificationframeworks to support packaging design, such as theCircular Economy for Flexible Packaging (CEFLEX)3programme and the RecyClass4platform. These initiativesprovide important technical foundations, but areexpected to be progressively superseded as Europeanstandardisation bodies (CEN/CENELEC) are mandated todevelop harmonised standards to ensure compliance withPPWR obligations. OVERVIEW OF CHINA’S PLASTICPACKAGING DESIGN STANDARDS TIMELINE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT ON PLASTIC PACKAGING DESIGN IN CHINA Action Plan on Plastic Pollution Control for the 14thFive-Year PeriodPromotes a full-chain governance of plastic pollution and 2021 Catalogue for the Elimination of Outdated ProductionCapabilities, Technologies, and ProductsPhase out single-use foam plastic tableware by the end of 2000 strengthens green design and source reduction Emergency Notice on the Immediate Cessation of Productionof Single-Use Foamed Plastic TablewareProduction, sales/use of disposable foam plastic tablewareis prohibited, mandatory biodegradable and papersubstitutes required 14th Five-Year Circular Economy Development PlanPromotes original shipment, packaging reduction, certification,and scaled adoption of reusable express packaging Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Restrictingthe Production, Sale, and Use of Plastic Shopping BagsGovernment-mandated fee for plastic shopping bags.Ban ultra-thin (<0.025 mm) plastic shopping bags Catalogue for the El