Recycling can cure white pollution

In the early 1990s, "white pollution" became more and more of a concern for the Chinese people. Due to the professional relationship, I formally listed it as a research topic in 1996, namely the research on the status of "white pollution" and governance policies. I have also written many articles and published in various professional journals or newspapers.

My general opinion is that recycling can only solve the international problem of “white pollution”.

The current policy on foam plastic tableware in China is prohibited and banned. I personally believe that this is not in line with China’s national conditions. First, the root cause of “white pollution” is the uncivilized behavior of people discarding rubbish at will; the second is the production of foam for enterprises. Plastic tableware, invested 80 million US dollars (in terms of nationwide) to build factories, "one size fits all" is not a waste of resources? Third, foam plastic tableware is superior to other similar products in terms of use, price, environmental protection, and hygiene. Everyone thinks about how our car exhaust pollutes the atmosphere. How do we deal with it? Lost the car? No way. Our house has “Shilin” pollution. Remove the house to live in the cave? Nothing. For the "white pollution" that has already emerged, we should bravely face it and govern it, instead of abandoning the entire industry.

At present, we can see various so-called “environmental protection products” and “green products” substitute products in the community, but so far it has not been able to become the mainstream of the market. Some media believe that it is the prohibition of foaming food boxes. Of course, this may be one of the reasons. However, what is the most important reason?

First, the quality of "environmental protection products" is not high. As we can see on the train, the pulp moulding tool is usually used on the dining car. When it is used, the pressure is flattened. The first one is always good, the second is crushed by 1/3, and the third one is It became 1/2. Due to poor performance, it was inconvenient to use, and some of the alternatives were grayish and uncomfortable. At the same time, these products have poor insulation effect, and it is reported that a Beijing fast food company has been troubled by the insulation problem of replacing the lunch boxes. However, this problem does not exist in the foamed lunch box, and its heat insulation is very strong. Followed by the price issue. The market price of the foamed lunch boxes is less than 1 cent. When they eat or drink tea, there is no need to pay for any packaged lunch boxes. Now, Japan's Central Chemical Corporation is marketing a non-foamed lunch box made of polypropylene plastic (about 5 cents or so). It weighs about 20 grams, which is more than 3 times that of the foamed lunch box. The lunch box is only about 6 grams), and the insulation is also difficult to meet customer requirements.

Second, in front of me, I added the word “so-called” to those who claimed to be substitute products for environmental protection products and green products. The reason is that they are not environmentally friendly. Our paper lunch boxes must be made of long fiber wood pulp. These wood pulps must be cut down to destroy the forest. Can this be environmental protection? Although the raw materials for pulp molded tableware are bagasse, bamboo, and reeds, they must be made into pulp before they are used to make lunch boxes. Pulp waste water is generated at this time. Everyone knows that the environmental pollution caused by pulp wastewater has not been properly solved so far. To this end, the State Environmental Protection Administration has ordered the forced closure of small paper mills in certain regions. From the perspective of pulp wastewater, this type of pulp molding tool production plant is a small paper mill. If the “life cycle” theory is used to analyze the entire life cycle of various disposable tableware, the most environmentally friendly or foamed plastic can be found. tableware.

Third, after various types of alternative tableware products are consumed, if people are still discarded at will, even if “white pollution” does not exist, environmental problems such as “gray pollution” and “yellow pollution” will follow. Some people say that their products are made of degradable plastics. The meaning of biodegradable plastics is very clear to everyone, that is to say, only the starch can be degraded, and the rest will become plastic fragments. At this time, you will find it difficult to do it, and it will take 28 days to reach it. Degradation indicators. What impact on the landscape of the city and the rivers, lakes and seas in the past 28 days? If it drifts to Gezhouba, how much will it affect its safety? So I think that the only way to completely solve white pollution is through recycling.

I explained that these are not meant to make way for foamed plastic tableware and use them for life. Foam plastic tableware is the product of the development of science and technology. Invented plastic in the early 20th century and foam plastic in the 60s and 70s. However, it will withdraw from the historical stage with the development of science and technology and the progress of society. However, at this time, science and technology have not yet reached this stage, so there is still room for its existence. When science and technology develop to a certain extent, it will disappear automatically without the need for us to discuss it.

There is also a local problem. The so-called degradability is the ability to naturally introduce and attach microorganisms in the natural environment, allowing them to eat and digest the biodegradable components of biodegradable plastics or other substitutes. This means that this product may have developed before use, but due to mild mildew, it is not easy to be discovered by people. This phenomenon is less likely to occur in the North, but it is much more dangerous in the wet, rainy, hot south. Therefore, I think that the promotion of degradable tableware in the Guangdong region should be more cautious.

The eradication of "white pollution" is the common responsibility of society and our common goal. I believe that under the joint efforts of the vast number of environmental protection workers, scientific research workers, and people in the industry, the advanced experience of "white pollution" in governance abroad will be successful. !