Ban lifted on polystyrene tableware

The National Development and Reform Commission has lifted a 14-year ban on the sale of disposable tableware made of polystyrene. Since the beginning of the month, the tableware has been back on sale. But there is concern about possible impacts on people's health and on the ecosystem.

After a 14 year ban, disposable tableware made of polystyrene is back on the market and on tables.

The National Development and Reform Commission has published five reasons explaining why the ban was lifted.

First, a test carried out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that styrofoam tableware met national quality standards.

The Commission adds that polystyrene could be recycled, and that many other foreign countries had been using it for years.

It points to the fact that lunch boxes are thin, lightweight and don't require too many resources to produce. Finally, it says that the public has a better sense of environmental protection, and so is less likely to discard the plastic products outside.

"Styrofoam dinnerware makes way back onto Chinese tables. Experts say food packaging made of plastic foam is toxic-free as long as it's produced and used properly. But concerns still remain over potential harm to human health and the environment." said Su Yuting, CCTV reporter

Low-end restaurants such as roadside food stalls use styrofoam boxes because it's much cheaper than environmentally friendly paper boxes.

But what consumers care about is their health.

"Toxic substances released by the heated plastic foam boxes could be dangerous. That's what I am afraid of. "

Zhang Kai is an environmentalist. He works as a volunteer in an NGO, researching on pollution problems caused by solid waste. He says he hopes authorities will work out a system of production license management for companies to make qualified tableware. But his biggest concern is that, in the absence of an effective recycling system in China, lifting the ban will lead to a big increase in the amount of plastic waste.

"The recycling process is a comprehensive project. The government, enterprises producing polystyrene packaging and the public should collaborate on working out an effective solution to recycling the material. I hope our country will soon establish a sound and comprehensive recycling system through economic subsidies." said Zhang Kai, Project manager of solid waste group, Friends of Nature.

Zhang Kai also says information transparency is urgently needed to secure public participation in the decision-making process. Following the lift of the styrofoam ban, he hopes the government will take necessary measures to ensure proper law enforcement and public supervision.