Packaging materials and containers are short-lived commodities, especially those that are “used and thrown†disposable packaging items, which instantly turn from products into garbage, and have a negative impact on the environment. Mainly in the packaging of waste after landfill or incineration of harmful gases such as air, water and soil pollution; packaging foam and chlorofluorocarbons lead to reduced ozone; waste plastic packaging into the rivers and seas causing pollution and Seriously harm marine life. Compared with other industrial pollution, packaging has a wide range of pollution, high visibility to the environment, disposable plastic packaging waste is not easy to recycle, is not easy to degrade, and has great potential for environmental damage. Therefore, packaging, like other commodities, should develop in harmony with the environment. The development of green packaging has become an inevitable choice in the 21st century.
In 1987, the United Nations Commission on Environment and Development issued the Declaration of Our Common Future. In June 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development adopted the “Declaration on Rio’s Environment and Development†and “Agenda 21â€, setting off a green wave centered around the protection of the environment and conservation of resources.
Definition of green packaging
Green packaging has become a representation of the environment, represents the forest, and symbolizes the color of life. Green packaging refers to packaging containers that use relatively little energy and raw materials to produce simpler, more or less elaborate and complicated products; in the production process, they do not produce substances that pollute the environment such as waste gas, waste water, and waste residues; packaging containers can be eaten or can be naturally degraded Or can be reused, no secondary pollution; processing of packaging materials not only saves energy, does not destroy the ecological balance, and does not contain substances that pollute the environment. In line with the "3R1D" principle, namely:
â— Implement Reduce. Packaging satisfies the requirements of protection, convenience, sales, etc., saving materials, low production costs, saving resources and energy;
â— The packaging should be easy to reuse or easy to recycle. Through the production of recycled products, incineration of heat energy, composting to improve soil and other measures to achieve the purpose of reuse;
â— The packaging material is degradable. Does not form permanent waste, and then achieve the purpose of improving the soil. In simple terms, green packaging is harmless packaging or environmentally friendly packaging.
The type of green packaging material
1, repeated reuse and recycling of packaging materials. Repeated use of packaging, such as beer, beverages, soy sauce, vinegar and other packaging using glass bottles repeatedly. Sweden and other countries implemented repeated reuse of polyester PET bottles and PC bottles for more than 20 times. Wellman, the Netherlands, and Johnson, USA, have 100% recycled PET containers. Recycling packaging, such as polyester bottles, can be regenerated in two ways after recycling. The physical method refers to the direct and thorough purification and comminution without any residual contaminants. The treated plastics are then directly used for the regeneration of packaging containers. The chemical method means that after the recovered PET is pulverized and washed, the depolymerization agent, methanol water, ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol, etc. is used to depolymerize all the PET into monomers or partly depolymerize into oligomers after purification by the alkaline catalyst. The monomer or oligomer is re-polymerized into a recycled PET resin packaging material.
2, edible packaging materials. It means that when the packaging function is realized, it will become a kind of edible raw material when it is about to become "waste", and this kind of special packaging that can realize the transformation of packaging function is called edible packaging.
3, degradable materials. Degradable materials are plastics whose chemical structure changes in a specific environment that causes performance loss in a specific time. Degradable plastic packaging materials not only have the functions and characteristics of traditional plastics, but also can be split, degraded and reduced in the natural environment through the action of ultraviolet light in the sunlight or microorganisms in the soil and water after the service life is completed. Finally, they are non-toxic. The form re-enters the ecological environment and returns to nature. The degradable plastics are mainly divided into synthetic photodegradable plastics, photodegradable plastics and biodegradable plastics added with photosensitizers, and multi-functional degradable plastics that are combined with various degradable plastics. According to the environmental conditions of degradable plastics, it can be divided into photodegradable plastics, biodegradable plastics (fully biodegradable plastics, partially biodegradable plastics), chemically degradable plastics (oxidative degradable plastics, water degradable plastics), and the above three kinds of degradable plastics. Composite degradable material.
According to experts' predictions, green food will dominate the world market in the next 10 years, and good green packaging is the prevailing sign for green food consumption. It is of great significance to shape green food brands, ensure the quality of green foods, and maintain the freshness of green foods. Green foods must have green packaging, which has become the new fashion for green food packaging in the new century and has become the mainstream of packaging. The government's environmental protection department clearly stipulates that the “four-in-one†symbol should be placed on the outer package of green food, namely, the green food logo, the text of green food, the code and laser anti-counterfeiting label, and the certification unit, etc., and it should be conducive to the identification of consumers.
China's green food production has developed rapidly. Green food consumption has become a trend and continues to expand. However, it is extremely uncoordinated that many green foods do not match the corresponding green packaging. When you walk into supermarkets, shopping malls, or farmers' markets, you will find that many foods labeled with “green†are being sold, but there are few genuine green packaging products. Many well-cultivated famous fruits, processed semi-finished vegetables, organic tea, and specialty agricultural products are not made of disposable foam plastic trays or transparent plastic packaging films, which greatly diminishes the meaning of “greenâ€. real.
According to the current status of research on green packaging in China, the following food packaging materials are being researched or will soon be put into use:
1. Chitosan edible packaging film. This edible packaging solves the contradiction between food packaging waste and environmental protection. Can be applied to candy, preserved fruit, cakes, moon cakes and so on.
2, corn protein packaging film. It is suitable for high fat food packaging with heavy oil and high permeability, and has a wide range of uses in fast food, fried potato food, moon cake and other food companies. It is mainly used for the inner layer of fast food boxes and other foods with oil.
3, soybean protein edible packaging film. Its wide range of uses, applicable to a variety of ready-to-eat foods.
4, composite edible packaging film. It can be applied to the inner packaging of various ready-to-eat foods.
5. Degradable packaging materials. The main solution to the waste of non-degradable packaging materials because of the difficulty of recovery, buried in the ground will destroy the soil structure, incineration treatment will produce toxic gases cause air pollution conflicts.
A German farm has found through tests that the pellets made of corn flour, which are squeezed and expanded by a compressor, can effectively withstand shocks and pressures, and that they are antistatic, mildew proof and moisture free, and do not generate environmental pollution. Pollution. After repeated trials, they successfully developed a unique corn packaging material.
The Japanese research department has developed a mineral concentrate absorbent paper bag made of calcium phosphate. The food is put into this kind of package. The green food can get nutrient supply from the mineral concentrate and it has a very good effect on preservation.
In the United Kingdom and Germany, fresh-keeping bags made of oxygen-removing materials on the inner walls of containers and lids are used to “eat†excess oxygen in the containers through these oxygen-removing materials to achieve preservation and prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
With the reduction of various resources on the earth and the deteriorating living environment, it is imperative to develop green and environmentally friendly packaging materials, and it is incumbent on the protection of the environment. With the impact of environmental protection, green products have become the first choice for people to shop, and the packaging of green products must also meet the requirements of green. Therefore, vigorously developing the green packaging industry is an inevitable choice for businesses. [Mandarin: Fan Fangjuan]