Core Viewpoint - The rapid growth of China's express delivery industry, which has reached 175 billion packages in the past year, poses significant environmental challenges due to packaging waste. The newly revised "Express Delivery Temporary Regulations" emphasizes "green energy-saving" as a development principle, aiming for green, reduced, and recyclable packaging solutions [1][3]. Group 1: Environmental Challenges and Regulations - China's express delivery volume has been the highest globally for several years, with 1750.8 billion packages delivered last year, and this year's milestone was reached 35 days earlier than last year [1]. - The revised regulations incorporate "green energy-saving" as a principle for the express delivery industry, establishing goals for green, reduced, and recyclable packaging [1][3]. - The environmental impact of packaging waste is significant, with an estimated 1.8 million tons of plastic waste generated annually in China [1]. Group 2: Innovations in Packaging - New packaging solutions, such as the fresh-keeping box using gas adjustment technology, can maintain freshness without ice packs, reducing costs and environmental impact [1][3]. - The new fresh-keeping box reduces the volume by approximately 80% compared to traditional foam boxes and can be recycled after use [3]. - The use of biodegradable materials and recycled content in packaging is being promoted, with over 100 million biodegradable bags already in use [3][4]. Group 3: Cost and Efficiency - The cost of green packaging materials is currently 2 to 3 times higher than traditional options, but there is a trend of decreasing costs as production scales up [4]. - The implementation of circular packaging solutions is still low, with daily usage rates below 1%, indicating significant potential for improvement [4][5]. - Companies are focusing on optimizing packaging design and processes to reduce material usage, with one logistics company reporting a 1.2 million ton reduction in paper usage through redesign [7]. Group 4: Industry Collaboration and Consumer Involvement - The government is encouraging collaboration between express delivery companies and e-commerce businesses to promote direct shipping methods that reduce packaging layers [7][9]. - A nationwide packaging recycling network is being established, incentivizing consumers to participate in recycling efforts [5][9]. - The overall transformation towards greener packaging requires a collective effort from the government, businesses, and consumers to create a sustainable ecosystem [9].

Core Insights - The express delivery industry in China has seen a significant increase in business volume, reaching 1750.8 billion packages last year, with the time to surpass 1 billion packages this year being 35 days earlier than last year [1] - The new revised "Express Delivery Interim Regulations" incorporates "green energy-saving" as a principle for the development of the express delivery industry, establishing goals for green, reduced, and recyclable packaging [1] Environmental Challenges - The rapid growth of the express delivery sector has led to substantial environmental challenges, particularly from packaging waste such as cardboard boxes, foam boxes, and plastic fillers [1][5] - China generates approximately 1.8 million tons of plastic waste annually, necessitating a transition to greener packaging solutions [5] Innovations in Packaging - New packaging technologies, such as the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) boxes, are being tested to maintain the freshness of perishable goods without the use of ice packs, thus addressing both cost and environmental concerns [3][5] - The new fresh-keeping boxes reduce volume by about 80% compared to traditional foam boxes and can be recycled after use [5] Cost and Adoption of Green Materials - The cost of biodegradable packaging materials is currently 2 to 3 times higher than traditional options, posing a challenge for widespread adoption [8] - The use of fully biodegradable adhesive tape has been implemented, achieving a 90% biodegradation rate, with over 100 million units used since 2021 [6] Recycling and Circular Economy - The utilization of reusable packaging is currently low, with daily usage rates below 1%, indicating significant potential for improvement [10] - Initiatives by China Post in cities like Haikou and Xuzhou are demonstrating successful closed-loop management of packaging through the use of reusable boxes for important documents [12] Regulatory Support and Industry Collaboration - The revised regulations encourage technological innovation and the use of new materials that meet environmental standards, promoting the development of green packaging solutions [5][14] - Companies are increasingly focusing on optimizing packaging design and processes to reduce material usage, with significant cost savings reported from these efforts [16] Future Outlook - The express delivery industry is expected to continue its shift towards greener practices, with a projected 95% of e-commerce packages avoiding secondary packaging by the end of 2024 [18] - A collaborative effort among government, enterprises, and consumers is essential to create a closed-loop system for packaging recycling and to foster a sustainable environment [18]