On January 25th, Wang Wenyuan, Director of the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated at the "Chinese Biodegradable Resin’s Fourteenth Five-Year Plan PBS Resin Video Symposium" that at present, my country’s biodegradable plastics are still in the In the initial development stage, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will increase its efforts to promote the large-scale development of the industrialization of key biodegradable plastic products, and encourage and support enterprises to demonstrate the industrialization and application of biodegradable plastics.

The earth is the homeland on which mankind depends for survival. Protecting the environment and advocating green development are the cornerstones for mankind to establish sustainable development. With the increasing awareness of environmental protection in various countries around the world, many countries have already begun to implement the ban on plastics and plastic reduction policies. The European Union began to reduce the use of plastic bags in the 1990s. Starting in 2021, EU members have completely banned the use of disposable straw products10 Kind of disposable plastic products.

In my country, a plastic restriction order has been implemented since 2008, and a series of results have been achieved. Since last year, the Party Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the problem of plastic pollution. The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment have issued the ``Opinions on Further Strengthening the Treatment of Plastic Pollution'', which clearly puts forward specific requirements for phased plastic restrictions and encourages the promotion and application of degradable plastics. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other ministries and commissions have introduced specific measures to strengthen plastic pollution control.

Director Wang Wenyuan said that at present, my country's biodegradable plastics are still in the preliminary stage of development, but the pace of development is relatively fast. According to preliminary statistics, there are nearly 100 production enterprises with a production capacity of about 600,000 tons, accounting for 50% of the global production capacity.

Director Wang Wenyuan pointed out that replacing traditional plastics with biodegradable plastics faces the following three problems:

1. The production technology of the product is not yet mature. Most companies only focus on the synthesis of materials, and the products are environmentally friendly, but there is still room for improvement in the quality of products. For example, tableware has a far cry from traditional plastics in terms of heat and water resistance, mechanical strength, and performance.

2. The high product price restricts the promotion and application of biodegradable plastics. For example, the price of polylactic acid is more than two or three times that of traditional polyethylene plastics, which needs to be solved through technological improvement.

3. The products are mainly low-end products, and there are gaps in high-end products. At present, products are mainly concentrated in plastic bags, packaging, mulch, etc., while high-end medical applications such as PGA still rely on imports.

Speaking of the 14th Five-Year Plan for biodegradable resins, Director Wang Wenyuan said that the next step will be promoted from the following aspects:

1. Actively promote technological progress, improve product quality, and fundamentally solve price constraints. Price and plastic restriction policies are mutually reinforcing, and only large-scale market applications can reduce prices.

2. Intensify efforts to promote the large-scale development of the industrialization of key products. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has launched the first batch of demonstration guidance catalogs for key new materials. For products that affect the national economy and people's livelihood (such as mulch), it will work with relevant departments to study and adopt fiscal and taxation policies to encourage and support enterprises to demonstrate the industrialization and application of biodegradable plastics.

3. Intensify the implementation of plastic pollution control, strictly control the production and sales of disposable plastic products, supervise and urge production enterprises to do a good job in raw material adjustment, technological transformation, etc., and require enterprises to actively promote the supply of degradable plastic products. At the same time, a batch of biodegradable plastic standards were formulated, a batch of biodegradable plastic rules were issued, and a batch of biodegradable plastic product lists were designed to actively guide the market, meet market demand, and promote green consumption.

At the symposium, Director Wang Wenyuan hopes that experts and companies will discuss and promote the sustainable development of the biodegradable resin industry. He hopes that the association will serve as a bridge between the government and companies and assist the government in formulating and implementing industry development plans, industrial policies, and Industry access and product standards guide the healthy and stable development of the industry in an orderly manner, and truly implement the concept of ecological civilization development advocated by the country.