Express delivery rules to get more eco-friendly from June

China has announced revised regulations on the express delivery sector, set to take effect on June 1, in a move to promote greener practices in packaging and support the sector's sustainable development.

The rules, issued by the State Council, consist of 15 articles aimed at building a technologically advanced, high-quality, safe, efficient and energy-saving express delivery system that serves both urban and rural areas.

Under the regulations, express delivery companies are encouraged to use biodegradable and reusable materials and to optimize packaging design to reduce excessive waste. The rules also address the high costs of green packaging by encouraging technological innovation and the development of new eco-friendly materials, technologies and production processes.

To improve upstream governance, the regulations promote cooperation between express delivery companies, manufacturers and e-commerce platforms. Measures such as direct shipment of original product packaging are encouraged to minimize secondary packaging during the delivery process.

China handled 175 billion express parcels last year, a 245 percent increase from 2018 and a 21 percent rise compared with the previous year.

Despite its vital contribution to economic growth and improving livelihoods, the industry's rapid expansion has led to significant resource consumption and environmental pollution.

The fast-growing sector has encountered new challenges, including the substantial volume of packages generating significant plastic and paper waste. Companies are encouraged to use environmentally friendly packaging materials to support the sector's green development.

Experts said the revised rules fill a major policy gap in the green development of the express delivery sector, marking a milestone in the industry's history.

"The new regulations mark an important milestone in the green transition and high-quality development of the express delivery industry," said Ding Hongtao, director of the legal affairs department at the China Express Association.

Liu Jianguo, a professor at Tsinghua University's School of Environment, said the new regulations outline the responsibilities of government departments, delivery companies, e-commerce platforms, manufacturers, packaging producers, industry groups and consumers at every stage — from design and production to reducing waste, recycling and reuse. "This will help create a green development system for express packaging that involves government leadership, business responsibility, industry self-regulation and public participation," Liu said.

This year, the number is expected to reach 200 billion, making the new regulations even more critical to China's broader push to advance its green transition across key industries and support high-quality development.