According to national conditions, China think about degradable plastics in many ways, such as function, safety, economy and so on.

一、 Developing Situation

China begin degradable research from the seventies. At the end of 1980, they begin to study starch inflation degradable plastics. In the nineties, China put an emphasis on degradable plastic film.

1. So far, in accordance with the material of degradable plastic that China has been studying, the degradable plastic can be classified: polypropylene, polystyrene, polythene and so on. From degradation environment, the variety of degradable plastics has photolysis, oxidative degradation, biodegradation, calcium carbonate degradation, starch inflation biodegradation and so on. Among them photolysis polythene degradable plastic film and environment degradable plastic film have been put into emphasis. Generally, except full biodegradation plastic, China research process keep the same step with the world, and technology approach the international level.

2. In the light of incomplete statistic, China has built up several hundred double-wormed roll degradable plastic material assembly line and its product ability about 10 thousand tons. Some enterprises have begun to produce but the factories are operating under capacity. At present, the market of degradable plastic hasn't formed yet. The output is decided by sates volume so the yield is difficult to estimate.

3. According to preliminary figure, the amount of units that engage in research, production and applying have exceeded one hundred that these units are distributed over chemical industry、 light industry、 petroleum,、chemistry、agriculture、environmental protection、 war industry and so on. The material of degradable plastic are dispersed mainly over costal city.

4. At present, applying field include: packaging and everyday use consumer goods and the products include: films, all kinds of bags, cups and so on.

5. In 1996 China promulgated 'People's Republic of China Solid Waste Processing Law'. It stipulate that plastic film and one way package products must adopt the products that can be easily handled. There are more than 20 provinces and cities, such as Beijing、 Shanghai forbid or restrict general polystyrene foam tableware general polyethylene packaging bag, fixed paperboard tableware, moulded pulp and degradable plastic tableware.

6. In recent years, many units remove obstacles and make extraordinary painstaking efforts and get much progress. In order to encourage developing and using products that is profitable for environment protection, National Environmental Protection General Bureau place degradable plastic packaging material on the environmental protection products.

二、 Looking forward to the development

1. Advantage And Achievement

After many years research and development, China degradable plastic make great progress in raising controllability of degradation, reducing cost and opening up market. In the situation that China economy comprehensive actual strength is weak, using degradable plastic as a measure of harnessing environment pollution is approved by the government and society.

2 Weakness

In the process that degradable plastic is pushed into market, owing to lacking effective technology supervisory system, the order of market confuse. The units of degradable plastic industry block each other and can't unite as one. Some false news make some people doubt degradable plastic.

3.Looking Forward To the Future

(1)The correct orientation of degradable plastic accord with the demand of economy steady development and environmental protection.

(2)According to analysis products whole life cycle, degradable plastic is one of effective measure to harness environment pollutions

(3)Appraising degradable plastic correctly is useful for market process.

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