Express sector cuts packaging waste, emissions

China's express delivery industry has made steady progress in reducing packaging waste and carbon emissions one year after a revised regulation on express delivery services took effect, according to the State Post Bureau of China.

The revised regulation, which took effect on June 1, 2025, added a dedicated chapter on express packaging, strengthening requirements for green and low-carbon development.

Over the past year, standardized packaging accounted for 86 percent of the industry's total packaging, while reusable packaging was used for more than 10 percent of same-city express deliveries, said Lin Hu, spokesman for the bureau. Nearly 1.62 billion cardboard boxes were recycled or reused, reducing carbon emissions by 209,400 metric tons.

The industry has also put more than 75,000 new-energy and clean-energy vehicles into operation. Photovoltaic power generation by postal and express delivery enterprises reached 355 million kilowatt-hours, cutting carbon emissions by about 193,000 tons.

Lin said consumers are seeing thinner cartons, narrower tape, smaller waybills and more reusable packaging. The bureau will continue to promote certified green packaging, reusable packaging and smart packaging technologies to support the industry's low-carbon transition.