The “transformation” signs and trash cans in the abandoned milk box in Hangzhou conveys the environmental protection concept of “no waste Asian Games”

The following articles are from China News Network

Reporter: Guo Chaokai Editor-in-charge: Qian Jiaojiao

The abandoned milk boxes are "turned into" park signs, classified garbage bins... In the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Paralympic Games, there are many cases of turning waste into treasures. The environmental protection concept of "no scrapped Asian Games" can be seen everywhere in Hangzhou.

Park sign made of discarded milk boxes, provided by the special committee on beverage paper-based composite packaging recycling

Not long ago, the Hangzhou Asian Games just ended in Zhijiang, and now the Asian Paralympic Games are now on the banks of Xizi Lake. In order to host the Asian Games and the Asian Paralympic Games well, Hangzhou has introduced the concept of "no waste" and incorporated it into the entire process of preparation, holding and post-match utilization. It is understood that Hangzhou has promoted the construction of 33 "no waste Asian Games" venues, 81 "no waste Asian Games" hotels, and 4 "no waste Asian Games" factories. It is expected that the recycling rate of materials for the Hangzhou Asian Games during the Hangzhou Asian Games will not be less than 50%.

Taking the opportunity of hosting the Asian Games and the Asian Paralympic Games, Hangzhou has implemented the concept of "green" and "no waste" in urban construction. In order to welcome the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Paralympic Games, Hangzhou Xiaoshan Garbage Classification Theme Park has been specially upgraded and renovated. The upgraded park integrates old material renovation, knowledge and science popularization, publicity and education, experience and leisure, and has now become a display window for Hangzhou's "Green Asian Games" and "No Abandoned Asian Games" concepts.

Entering the park, you can see the practice of the concept of "no abortion of Asian Games" everywhere. Park signs and classified trash cans transformed from discarded milk boxes, Van Gogh’s starry sky collage supported by recycled plastic bottles, and various landscapes made of discarded stainless steel, plastic bottles, etc.... are both creative, beautiful and technological.

"The park signs, classified trash cans and other items that citizens and tourists praise are provided by our special committee." He Ye, Secretary-General of the Special Committee for the Recycling and Utilization of Beverage Paper-based Composite Packaging (hereinafter referred to as the "Special Committee"), told reporters that the special committee has used the recycled discarded milk boxes to carefully create 4 park signs, 10 flower and grass warning signs, 5 sets of classified trash cans, as well as a series of products such as primary school students' desks and chairs, flower pots, storage cabinets, photo frames, etc. for Hangzhou Xiaoshan Garbage Classification Theme Park.

Among them, the park signs that guide the coordinates and orientations are made of 20,000 discarded milk boxes; the flower and grass warning signs are made of 750 discarded milk boxes; and the classified trash cans are made of 5,100 discarded milk boxes in each group. These products turn the discarded milk boxes that can be seen everywhere in people's daily lives "turn waste into treasures", and further promote a low-carbon and energy-saving production and lifestyle.

The Special Committee for Recycling and Utilization of Beverage Paper-based Composite Packaging, established in 2018, has been committed to promoting knowledge on recycling milk boxes to consumers and continuously improving the resource utilization rate of waste beverage paper-based composite packaging. In early 2023, after learning about Hangzhou's goal of creating the "No Waste Asian Games", the special committee actively communicated with relevant departments in Hangzhou, proposing to promote the recycling of waste milk boxes under the driving force of the concept of "No Waste Asian Games". In June this year, with the launch of the construction project of Hangzhou Xiaoshan Garbage Classification Theme Park, milk box recycling, as one of the "Wasteless Asian Games", has been recognized and practiced by more consumers.

He Ye said that it is estimated that the carbon emission reduction benefits brought by each ton of waste beverage paper-based composite packaging (milk boxes) are about 1.17 tons. It is hoped that more and more consumers will participate in the milk box recycling campaign.

With the launch of Xiaoshan Garbage Classification Theme Park, these park signs, classified garbage bins and other products made of discarded milk boxes have accompanied guests from all over the world to spend the wonderful Hangzhou Asian Games. They are now helping the Hangzhou Asian Paralympic Games. In the future, they will continue to serve Hangzhou citizens and show the world the achievements of Hangzhou's "waste city" construction.

With successful cases of participating in Xiaoshan Garbage Classification Theme Park, He Ye hopes that the special committee will continue to participate in more resource recycling and utilization publicity and display projects in the future, and promote the recycling of discarded milk boxes. She said that after years of accumulation, the special committee has gradually established a relatively complete recycling network for waste milk boxes, steadily improving the resource utilization rate of waste milk boxes. In addition, the special committee has formulated and issued a number of group standards such as "Beverage Paper-Based Composite Packaging Recycling Labels", hoping to gradually build a complete green and low-carbon standard system for beverage paper-Based Composite Packaging through the formulation of relevant standards. In the future, the special committee will also vigorously promote the application of various standards in the industry, and contribute to the implementation of the concept of "green and environmental protection" and "waste-free".

About the Special Committee

The Special Committee for Recycling and Utilization of Beverage Paper-based Composite Packaging (hereinafter referred to as the Special Committee) is a non-profit industry self-discipline organization established under the guidance of the National Development and Reform Commission in May 2018 by industry associations, several beverage paper-based composite packaging manufacturers and scientific research institutions. The special committee represents the common interests and wishes of the relevant industrial chain units of beverage paper-based composite packaging, aiming to implement the "Plan for the Implementation of Producer Responsibility Extension System" and the "Implementation Plan for the Extension System of Beverage Paper-based Composite Packaging Producer Responsibility Extension System", adhere to the basic principles of "market-led, government-led; implemented responsibility, diversified participation", strengthen industry self-discipline, actively fulfill resource and environmental responsibilities such as ecological design, information disclosure, recycling and utilization, widely carry out ecological design in the field of beverage paper-based composite packaging, continuously improve the resource utilization rate of waste beverage paper-based composite packaging, and explore the implementation method of the producer responsibility extension system that is suitable for China's economic and social development requirements and is sustainable and replicable.

Since its establishment, the special committee has continued to promote the extension of producer responsibilities in the beverage paper-based composite packaging industry. At present, major beverage paper-based composite packaging companies in the country, including Tetra Pak (China) Co., Ltd., Fanmei Packaging Co., Ltd., Kangmeibao (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., Shandong Bihai Packaging Materials Co., Ltd., and Lemei Packaging Co., Ltd., have joined the company. Major brand filling companies and recycling companies have participated in the work of the special committee's sustainable development cooperation group as observers. The recycling network under construction by the special committee has covered North China, East China, South China and other regions.