Reusable boxes and bags for greener takeouts

WITH THE FAST GROWTH of mobile internet, an increasing number of people are ordering takeouts when they are too busy to cook. Takeouts have made life more convenient for many, but the plastic bags and boxes used to pack the foods are an environmental hazard. Hbnews.cn comments:

Data show that three leading takeout food apps - Meituan, ele.me and Baidu - receive more than 20 million orders a day. If three plastic bags and/or boxes are used to pack the foods for each order, the total will add up to 60 million plastic bags and/or boxes a day.

That highlights the need to limit the use of plastic in the takeout industry. Some have called for using biodegradable plastic materials, but that will increase the cost of the industry by two to three times.