China’s central government proposes legislation to govern packaging, waste, recycling industries. If passed, legislation known as Method for Administration of Recycling Packaging Materials, will rank among toughest in world, according to report from PackWebasia.com, Singapore. Law based on “producer pays” principal requires brand owner to take back post consumer waste, impacts entire packaging supply chain. In addition, since export markets are not exempt, materials, such as styrene, which is to be banned, will not be permitted in any form of product packaging exported from China.

Under draft law, all packaging must be recoverable, plus either recyclable or degradable. Packaging reduction, lightweighting becomes mandatory. Law also provides incentives for research in materials, technology; calls for establishment of waste recovery, recycling systems; regulates transport, storage of recyclable, recycled materials; categorizes materials, production processes as Encouraged, Restricted or Obsolete (banned); stipulates creation of inter-agency enforcement team, sliding scale of penalties. China’s New Packaging Legislation… report published by PackWebasia owner, EP Resources Pte. Ltd., provides annotated English translation of proposed law, Catalogue of Encouraged, Restricted and Obsolete Materials, sells for US$1,500.