Are you willing to use it?, EMS, Yunda, YTO, SF Express... Leading express delivery companies are launching circular packaging

The daily processing capacity is over 300 million pieces, and the annual per capita express delivery volume is nearly 80 pieces - China's express delivery business volume has ranked first in the world for 9 consecutive years. However, with the increase of the number, the "explosive" increase of by-products under each business, such as foam plastics, cartons, adhesive tapes, has become a major threat to the environment and a major pain point affecting the sustainable development of the industry.

What is the solution to packaging after sending the package? The reporter found some answers in the supply chain and business services exhibition area of the 2023 Service Trade Fair.

The "Green Revolution" in the express delivery industry starts from a cycle

Entering Hall 13 of the Shougang Park of the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the booths of leading domestic express delivery companies such as EMS, SF Express, Cainiao, and "Three Links and One Delivery" are arranged in a row. EMS and Yunda have placed recyclable packaging in a prominent position on their booths.

At the EMS booth, the reporter saw reusable packaging items such as envelopes, boxes, document bags, and packages. Unlike ordinary packaging items, these reusable packaging materials not only use environmentally friendly materials, but also have a small black frame at the sealing point.

"This unique component is the 'smart identity lock' and 'digital waybill' for recyclable express packaging." EMS booth staff introduced that this is also the result of EMS's recent promotion of the development and application of digital recyclable packaging bags and digital recyclable boxes.

Circular packaging on EMS booth

Unlike ordinary document bags and boxes, digital packaging bags and boxes are equipped with "smart identity locks" and "digital waybills" supported by technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things, which can achieve one person, one code, and designated recipient opening. When the user receives the file bag and box of the circular packaging, they can open the box and take out the items by scanning the QR code on the smart lock screen with their phone. Afterwards, users can choose to sign for it in person or make an appointment for a dedicated person to come and collect it, which can start the recycling of the packaging box.

Currently, the commonly used recycled packaging file bags in China's express delivery industry can be reused for more than a thousand times, while EF corrugated cardboard boxes can be reused for more than 10 times, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 0.275 kilograms per use.

Similar to EMS, Yunda has developed intelligent R locks that can scan codes to open bags and encrypt identities. Express companies such as YTO, Zhongtong, and Shentong have launched various reusable packaging products.

Digital technology helps the express delivery industry reduce carbon emissions

In addition to "greening", Chinese express delivery companies have also showcased their development achievements and technological strength in both "digitalization" and "internationalization".

"In fact, the acceleration of China's express delivery industry in terms of greening is inseparable from the development of digitalization behind it," Qian Weihua, Deputy Director of the Office of the Head of the China Express Association, told reporters.

Shentong Exhibition Booth Introduction Digital Intelligence

On the right side of the Shentong booth, the reporter saw a whole wall of photos of components and photovoltaic panel application scenarios, as if walking into a green digital station, rather than a courier company.

The booth manager explained that in addition to reducing carbon emissions in the packaging process, Shentong's green environmental protection is more reflected in the transportation and transfer processes. "Shentong has now achieved full station cloud deployment of sorting centers through the SCADA IoT system, combined with self-developed new ultra high speed cross belts and electronic control and operating systems, improving sorting efficiency by 30%. Through energy-saving algorithms, equipment energy consumption can be flexibly adjusted according to the amount of business, and in current application scenarios, electricity consumption can be reduced by 50%, achieving energy conservation and emission reduction."

Recycling requires joint efforts from all parties

At the beginning of this year, the National Postal Administration held a press conference stating that the "9218" project for green development will be implemented in 2023 to accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of express packaging. How has the effect been in the past six months?

"In my work and life, I have not yet come into contact with reusable packaging," a professional audience member told reporters. Another professional audience member who joined the discussion stated that they had been exposed to some recycled packaging in their work. "For example, when purchasing second-hand books from the Duozhuyu website, the delivered parcels use recycled packaging. However, personally, I still have reservations about recycled packaging because after multiple uses, it may not be hygienic enough."

Yuantong also placed recycling packaging in a prominent position on the booth

"At present, circular packaging is widely used in the '2B' field, such as delivering drugs to pharmaceutical companies, and the '2C' field has hardly been involved," said the staff at the YTO booth.

EMS booth staff are relatively optimistic about circular packaging. EMS's recyclable express packaging is mainly piloted and applied in five major usage scenarios in Beijing and Shanghai, including courts, ID cards, license plates, apples, and traditional Chinese medicine. As of June this year, the usage of recyclable packaging boxes in the EMS system has reached 2.2 million, and the total number of mail parcels using recyclable express packaging across the network is 44.519 million.

Qian Weihua believes that the "green revolution" in the express delivery industry cannot be achieved overnight. It requires the joint efforts of enterprises, customers, and other parties. It is necessary to optimize the supply chain ecosystem through digital technology, become the leader of global smart supply chains, and form low-carbon and environmentally friendly behavior habits. Only in this way can China's express delivery industry truly move towards high-quality development.