From legal code to practice: a new starting point for the rule of law in the green transformation of plastic packaging

On March 12, 2026, the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress passed the Ecological Environment Code of the People's Republic of China. The birth of this code marks a new stage of codification governance for ecological environment protection in China. For the plastic packaging industry, this is not just a new law, but also a roadmap for industrial upgrading.

Looking back at past environmental regulations, more emphasis has been placed on "how to dispose of waste after it is generated". The most significant change in the new code is the extension of regulatory vision to the design, production, and use of products.

The fourth part of the Code, "Green and Low Carbon Development," clearly proposes the circular economy policy of "reduction, reuse, and resource utilization," and strengthens the requirements for full process control in the second part, "Pollution Prevention and Control. This means that the environmental impact assessment of plastic packaging is no longer solely based on whether it causes pollution after being discarded, but rather on its impact on the environmentraw materialThe full lifecycle performance of selection, structural design, production process, and recycling.

This logical shift is highly compatible with the "recyclable, easy to recycle, and renewable" technology direction being promoted in the plastic packaging industry.

　　01

　　Degradable - From Concept to Standard

The Code mentions "degradable" materials in multiple places, but always closely links them to "compliance with standards". Article 998 specifies the management of disposable plastic products as "alternative products that are recyclable, easy to recycle, biodegradable, and harmless".

The word 'harmless' here is worth paying attention to. It means that legally recognized degradability is not simply "breakable", but must be decomposed under specific environmental conditions, and the decomposition products do not cause secondary pollution to soil and water bodies. This puts higher demands on the industry - biodegradable material companies must strictly comply with national standards to ensure that the environmental friendliness of their products can withstand inspection.

　　02

　　Biobased - From Alternative to Mainstream

The Code includes biobased materials in the support system for green and low-carbon development. The expression of "ecological environment protection industry" in Article 133 provides policy basis for the research and promotion of bio based materials.

It is worth noting that the Code does not simply equate biobased materials with environmentally friendly materials, but emphasizes their environmental friendliness throughout their entire lifecycle. The requirements of Article 960 on clean production also apply to the production of biobased materials - even if the raw materials are renewable, the production process still needs to control energy consumption and reduce pollution. This means that the competitive advantage of bio based packaging is ultimately supported by the progressiveness technology, rather than relying only on the "bio based" label.

　　03

　　Green Packaging - From Initiative to Standardization

Articles 973 and 974 of the Code provide clear requirements for packaging: comply with mandatory standards that restrict excessive packaging, reduce the use of packaging materials, and prioritize the use of reusable and easily recyclable packaging materials.

Of particular note are the specialized regulations for key industries such as e-commerce, express delivery, and food delivery. These fields are the main application scenarios for plastic packaging, and the Code explicitly requires these industries to establish a reporting system for the use and recycling of packaging materials. This means that in the future, customers of plastic packaging companies (brand owners, platform companies) will demand more standardized environmental protection requirements from upstream suppliers, forcing packaging production companies to accelerate their green transformation.

Faced with the implementation of the legal code, plastic packaging companies need to think not only about "how to avoid punishment", but also "how to seize new opportunities".

　　Product design requires pre consideration of environmental protection

The Code emphasizes source reduction, which means that lightweight and functional design of packaging will become a competitive focus. Enterprises that can reduce material usage while ensuring performance will gain dual advantages in cost and environmental protection.

　　Material selection requires systematic thinking

Whether it is biodegradable materials or biobased materials, the Code emphasizes full lifecycle management. When choosing a material route, enterprises need to comprehensively consider the source of raw materials, production process, application scenarios, and waste paths, and build a complete environmental protection loop.

　　Supply chain collaboration has become a compulsory course

The Code requires brand enterprises to establish green supply chains, which will encourage downstream customers to screen suppliers. Packaging companies with environmental certifications, the ability to provide carbon footprint data, and supported by recycling systems will gain more say in supply chain restructuring.

　　Information disclosure has become the new normal

Chapter 9 of the Code stipulates information disclosure and public participation, requiring enterprises to disclose environmental information in accordance with the law. Proactively embracing transparency and accepting supervision will become the common choice of industry-leading enterprises.

The implementation of the code will undoubtedly bring a period of adaptation to the industry - standards need to be refined, regulation needs to be adjusted, and the market needs to be adjusted. But in the long run, the institutional framework established by this code precisely provides certainty for the sustainable development of the plastic packaging industry.

Environmental protection is not a burden, but an important component of product value; Compliance is not the end point, but the necessary path to high-quality development. Let us jointly grasp this new starting point of the rule of law and promote the plastic packaging industry towards a greener and more dynamic future.