China’s Restriction on Excessive Packaging
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 02 September 2009 18:54
- Written by Stuart Hoggard
Requirements of Restricting Excessive Packaging for Food and Cosmetics
Size: A4
Extent: 96 pp
Format: Pdf only
Price: US$350
On 5 July 2008 China issued a new draft Ordinance and technical requirements governing the size, volume and material used in a move to radically reduce excessive packaging.
This report is an analysis of the new mandatory regulations which sets the technical standards and controls for packaging and details specifications covering packaging layers and porosity.
According to the report’s author, Stuart Hoggard, “These new standards will be mandatory for all packaging produced in China, and are not unexpected, since the Standardisation Committee was instructed to formulate restrictions on excessive packaging as part of China’s Packaging Recycling Master Plan.”
What are the restrictions?
According to the Restrictions on Excessive Food and Cosmetic Packaging all packaging should first consider the features and quality of the product, the function of the package which will then govern the choice of appropriate packaging materials.
- The free-space or void space (porosity) between the product and the outer packaging layer be not more than 55%
- Packaging layers, excluding the initial packaging, may not be more than three layers.
- The cost of the product packaging must not exceed 15 percent of the sales price
- Non compliance can be punishable by a fine of up to ¥50,000 (approx. US$ 7,325)
Package producers and designers must consider a Life Cycle Assessment when choosing both materials and processes used
Technical Specifications
Aimed at package reduction, the regulation contains very specific instructions the number of primary and secondary packaging layers permitted and includes formulae for the calculation of the allowable amount of empty space enclosing the product (porosity) in a range of product types such as food, cosmetics, tea and certain beverages.
Additionally, the regulation contains a cost-factor the total packaging cost should not exceed 12 per cent of the cost of the product.
Who will be affected?
These standards will have an immediate impact on the entire packaging supply chain:
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Brand Owners
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Package Designers
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Converters
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Retailers producing house brands will all have to comply.
- Importers of Packaged Product into China
Foreign companies selling food, beverages or cosmetics in the China market will also have to follow these rules, even if the bulk of their production is being shipped overseas, since the rules are applicable ‘within the borders of the People’s Republic of China’ .
These new standards are Ordinances which have the 'force of law', they are mandated by Packaging Recycling Master Plan and The Circular Economy Law published in August 2008 (effective 1 January 2009) and establish the technical parameters and definitions of ‘excessive packaging’.
It contains a prohibition on Excessive Packaging and details specific penalties for infringement including, confiscation of products, fines of up to five times the value of the products and in the case of repeat offenders, the business license can also be revoked and criminal proceedings instituted.
What do I get?
The PackWebasia.com report “China’s Restriction on Excessive Packaging” contains
- Expert analysis
- Commentary on the full text of the regulations
- Formula for calculating Excessive Packaging free-space
- Formula for calculating Excessive Packaging cost/price ratio
- FULL text of the Ordinance in English and Chinese
- Full text of the mandatory Standards in English & Chnese
Table of Contents
| TRADE RESTRICTIONS REGULATIONS ON OVER-PACKAGING | |
| Executive Summary Introduction How is the legislation structured? About China’s Packaging Industry Growth Driven Environmental Plan Where did The Ordinance Originate? The Packaging Master Plan Clean Production Law: 29 June 2002 Clean Production Law: Article 20: Package Design Solid Waste Law: 18 September 2003 Solid Waste Law: Article 17 Package Recycling Circular Economy Law: 28 August 2008 Circular Economy Law: Article 19 Equipment, Product & Package Design Implementing The Master Plan Master Plan: Article 2 - Definitions Master Plan: Article 9: Obligations & Rights Of The Public Master Plan: Article 15: Stakeholder Responsibilities Master Plan: Article 17: Requirements For Packaging Design Force of Law What is AQSIQ? General Functions Principal Functions Relative to Packaging Official Resignation Other Organsations with a Role in The Ordinance National Development and Reform Commission Principal Functions China Packaging Federation Why is this regulation considered necessary? Retail Explosion Gift Giving Culture Moon Cakes Moon Cake Madness Moon Cake Restrictions Waste Management Landfill stress Incineration Commentary: 1. Trade Restriction Regulations on Over-Packaging About this document The Excess Packaging Ordinance What is it? Why is it so imprecise? Obscured Targets Dual Purpose 1. Package Reduction 2. Packaging Cost A Blunt Instrument 2. Requirements of Restricting Excessive Packaging for Foods & Cosmetics What is it? Analysis; TRADE RESTRICTIONS REGULATIONS ON OVER-PACKAGING Definitions Summary: Key Provisions Packaging Layers and Free Space Product Specific Restrictions Cosmetics, Alcohol, Cereals Table 1 : Restrictive Index Free-space calculation Conclusion: Inter-space ratio calculation Method for Calculating Layers Conclusion on inter-space & layer Restrictions Packaging Cost Calculation Public Hearing Important Milestone Public Transparency Excessive Packaging Costs Industry Resistance |
English Text: TRADE RESTRICTIONS REGULATIONS ON OVER-PACKAGING Chapter I General Provisions Article 1: Purpose Article 2: Application Article 3: Function Article 4: Authority Article 5: Exortation Article 6: Mission Article 7: Responsibility Chapter II Requirements of the limitations on excessive packaging Article 8 Article 9: Appropriate Packaging Article 10: Material Use Article 11: Structural Requirements Article 12: Recycling Article 13 Chapter III Commodity producers and sellers obligations Article 14 Article 15: Article 16 Article 17 Article 18 Article 19 Article 20 Article 21 Article 22 Chapter IV Supervision and Administration Article 23 Article 24 Article 25 Article 26 Article 27 Chapter V Determination of over-packaging Article 28 Article 29: Labelling Article 30: Qualified Inspectors Article 31: Sampling Procedures Article 32: Test requirements Article 33: Appeal Process Article 34: Cost Inspection Article 35 Chapter VI Legal Liability Article 36: Producer/Seller Layer & Free Space Liability Article 37> Producer/Seller Cost Liability Article 38: Seller Liability Article 39: Violation Article 40: Seller tampering with packaging Article 41: Administrative Liability Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions Article 42: Definitions Article 43 English Text: National Standard: Restricting Excessive Packaging for Foods & Cosmetics Introduction About this document Requirements of restricting excessive package for foods and cosmetics Preface 1: Scope 2: Normative documents for reference 3: Terms and definitions 3.1 Excessive package 3.2 Original package 3.3 Package layers 3.4 Interspace ratio 4: Requirements 4.1 Basic requirements 4.2 Restrictive Requirements Table 1: Restrictive Index 5 Calculation methods for restrictive indexes Appendix A: Calculation methods for interspace ratio Appendix B: Calculation methods for packaging layers Appendix C: Calculation methods for the ratio between packaging cost and sales price |
| Full Text: English |
Full Text: Chinese |
About the Author
As Publisher of PackWebasia.com, Stuart Hoggard has over 15 years experience of the Asian packaging sector he has written extensively on the topic of packaging and sustainability.
Stuart is President of International Packaging Press Organisation (IPPO) .
He was guest speaker at the US Sustainable Packaging Coalition conference in San Francisco in March 2008, the Thai Ministry of Industrial Development conference on Environmental Packaging in April 2008, and addressed the Tokyo International Packaging Symposium on Sustainability in Asia organized by the Japan Packaging Institute in October 2008.
He has been a judge at many Asian Packaging Federation packaging awards - Asia Star, and at the World Packaging Organization World Star judging in Tokyo in 2000.
He consults with companies looking to develop their Asian market presence in the packaging sector; his clients include Pira, Apple Computers, Hewlett Packard, Mayr Mienhof cartons among others.
He has written extensively on the topic of sustainability, and is the author of several reports:
- China’s Packaging Recycling Master Plan: Analysis of the Method for Administration of Recycling Packaging Materials.
- Packaging Drivers in Japan
Zen and the Technology of Japanese Packaging Design - Sustainability Trends in Japan
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