NDRC lifts ban on polystyrene

A 14-year-long ban on the production of disposable polystyrene tableware in China was lifted Wednesday, raising public concerns that the move could result in food safety and environmental pollution problems.

The State Economic and Trade Commission - which was dismantled in 2003, with part of its functions merged into the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) - banned the production of disposable polystyrene tableware in 1999, citing environmental damage from its production and use.

However, the NDRC removed the disposable tableware from its newly updated list of banned products released on February 16. The move has raised a lot of controversy, and the commission gave several reasons for lifting the ban in a statement published on March 20.

The disposable polystyrene tableware not only conforms to national food wrapping standards, but also can be recycled to make construction materials, paints and stationery, the NDRC said, citing examples from the US, the European Union and Japan, which have been using these polystyrene products for years.

The statement also said that nowadays fewer people are likely to litter public places with polystyrene tableware because the public now has a better sense of environmental protection.

"The NDRC's explanations are not convincing enough, and so far local authorities have not followed the NDRC's guideline to legalize the industry," Dong Jinshi, secretary-general of the International Food Packaging Association, told the Global Times Wednesday.

Experts have warned of safety concerns from using disposable polystyrene tableware, as well as the potential damage it may cause to the environment.

Because the cost of biodegradable tableware is 10 times higher than that of disposable polystyrene tableware, the lifting of the ban will have a huge impact on the biodegradable tableware market, news portal chinanews.com reported Wednesday.

Despite the previous ban, more than 100 companies across the country have been covertly and illegally producing and selling disposable polystyrene tableware due to its low cost, Dong said.

After the lifting of the ban, a strict industry entry standard should be rolled out to regulate the sector, he said.

Some consumers are also cautious.

"I don't think it's healthy to use disposable polystyrene to contain food. I'd rather pay more for biodegradable tableware," Wang Yuyi, a 30-year-old consumer in Beijing, told the Global Times Wednesday.