Chinese provincial advisors and legislators on Tuesday urged the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang to take the lead in promoting packaging standards that are more economical and eco-friendly.
At the annual session of the Congress on Tuesday, Deputy of the Provincial People's Congress, Cong Yanqing, said Zhejiang was encouraged to work on ways that could lessen cases of over-packaging in the logistics sect, Xinhua reported.
Zhejiang is home to a wide range of private businesses. It is also the birthplace of world-renowned e-commerce giant Alibaba. Thus, provincial advisors believe that the coastal province should take the lead in improving logistics processes.
Chief Personnel Officer of Alibaba and a member of the provincial committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Tong Wenghong said of the efforts to rely on "greener" processes, "During last year's Single's Day on Nov. 11, 13 million cardboard boxes were recycled in Alibaba's 5,000 recycling stations located in 200 cities."
Furthermore, some cities in the Zhejiang region have shown a willingness to the idea of "paperless" procedures when it comes to delivery services. Because the province has largely increased express delivery over the years, a lot of boxes are going to waste.
On the other hand, the local government is pushing to introduce packing materials that are proven to be more environmentally-friendly.
Zhejiang isn't the only province that is being encouraged to promote more sustainable and eco-friendly logistics. During the World Economic Forum (WEF) last week, JD.com shared its sustainable strategy that could help Chinese companies and other e-commerce corporations across the world to improve their packaging systems.
In a report posted on the WEF website, the organization noted that China's largest online retailer introduced reusable boxes as a means to reduce waste. The reusable boxes were initiated by the company's JD Foundation.
Unlike other e-commerce companies, JD allows its customers to return boxes. These returned boxes are re-used if the frames are still sturdy. On the other hand, tampered boxes will be recycled into new product.
The most notable part of the JD Foundation's packaging strategy is the materials used to create boxes for delivery. JD boxes are made from biodegradable materials. These materials play a key role in sustaining an e-commerce provider's consumption and at the same time promoting a "greener" logistics process that other Chinese companies can adopt.
The local government of Zhejiang has yet to confirm if it will adopt JD Foundation's packaging processes. On the other hand, the Chinese government has pledged support for the province and other regions that are planning to establish pollution-reducing logistics strategies.
