Plastic is an important basic material, which is widely used in social production and people's life. Nonstandard production, use and disposal of plastics will result in waste of resources and energy, pollution of ecological environment and health and safety of the masses. According to a United Nations report, less than one tenth of all plastic products in the world will be recycled, and nearly 80% of them will be buried or scattered in the environment. Statistics show that more than 8 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean every year, which has a serious impact on marine life and fisheries.

China has always attached great importance to the environmental impact of plastic waste. In view of the "white pollution", China has implemented the "plastic restriction order" since June 2008. According to a data from the national development and Reform Commission, the annual growth rate of plastic bag use in China has dropped from over 20% before 2008 to less than 3% at present, and the annual growth rate of plastic bag use in major retail places has decreased by 200000 tons.

Some foreign media said that China is currently the main exporter of marine micro plastics. Huo Chuanlin, deputy director of the marine ecological environment department of the Ministry of ecological environment, once responded that China is the largest plastic producer, but it does not mean that China is a big plastic pollution country. More and more studies have proved this.

China's annual output of plastic products exceeds 75 million tons, with a recovery rate of 23% - 29%, which is higher than that of many developed countries.

In the face of challenges such as rising consumption of plastic products brought by new business forms such as e-commerce and takeout, in January this year, the national development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of ecological environment jointly issued the opinions on further strengthening plastic pollution control. "The opinion has made it clear that the term of" plastic prohibition "and" plastic restriction ", including e-commerce and takeout. At the same time of banning some plastic products, it is also proposed to promote the application of alternative products and models, standardize the recycling of plastic waste, and facilitate people's lives. " The head of the national development and Reform Commission said.

Huo Chuanlin also revealed that China has incorporated the prevention and control of marine waste pollution into the pilot work of "Bay manager system" and banned the dumping of production and domestic waste into the sea. At the same time, efforts should be made to clean up the marine garbage and carry out a comprehensive prevention and control demonstration of marine garbage pollution in coastal cities. For example, according to the action plan for the comprehensive treatment of the Bohai Sea, the comprehensive treatment of the garbage from the rivers entering the sea and the coastal waters of the Bohai Sea has been carried out. All of these provide strong support for preventing plastic waste from entering the ocean.

"China should actively carry out international cooperation on waste plastic treatment and resource utilization." Zhou Hongchun, a researcher at the social development research department of the development research center of the State Council, said that solving the problem of "white pollution" will not only improve the global environment, especially the marine environment, but also play a positive role in the transformation of China's economic development mode and the promotion of International influence. He believes that to fundamentally solve the problem of plastic pollution, comprehensive treatment measures should be taken to realize the reduction, recycling and harmless of waste plastic products.

The person in charge of the national development and Reform Commission said that in the future, it will work with relevant departments to timely update and release the catalogue of plastic products prohibited and limit, and refine the scope and implementation standards of the prohibited and limit; each region should further implement the specific measures for the control of the prohibited and limit in accordance with the requirements of the opinions and the local actual situation. "China is a big developing country. In the global response to plastic pollution, we will actively play the role of a responsible country, turn initiatives into actions, turn ideas into practice, and contribute China's wisdom and China's programs to the global response to plastic pollution." The person in charge said.

Source: People's daily