As a substitute for ordinary plastic shopping bags, degradable plastic bags play an active role in improving the environment, but if the degradable plastic bag products cannot meet the requirements of national standards, they will also have an impact on the environment. In order to effectively maintain the health and safety of consumers, in accordance with the risk monitoring requirements of "early detection, early warning, and early disposal", and according to online public opinion and consumer complaints, the Sichuan Provincial Market Supervision Bureau has recently launched a product quality and safety risk assessment for degradable plastic bag products. Monitor and issue consumption reminders to remind consumers to consume carefully and use them safely.

Degradable plastic bags are plastic shopping bags made of films made of biodegradable plastic resins as the main raw material, and processed by bag-making processes such as heat sealing or bonding. According to the material, biodegradable plastic bags mainly include: polylactic acid + polyadipate/butylene terephthalate blend (PLA+PBAT), polylactic acid + polyadipate/butylene terephthalate + Starch blend (PLA+PBAT+St), polylactic acid+polyadipate/butylene terephthalate+calcium carbonate blend (PLA+PBAT-CaCO3), etc. Common biodegradable plastic shopping bags in life are also divided into food contact and non-food contact.

According to risk monitoring, the quality and safety risks of degradable plastic bags are mainly that the relative biodegradation rate index does not meet the national standard requirements, and the main hazards are:

affect crop growth. Waste plastic products whose relative biodegradation rate does not meet the standard requirements continue to accumulate in the soil, which will affect the absorption of nutrients and water by crops, resulting in reduced crop production and affecting the sustainable use of land. Plastic domestic waste mixed with relative biodegradation rate that does not meet the standard requirements is not suitable for composting, and waste plastics must be sorted out from the garbage, which will increase the cost of composting.

pose a threat to animal survival. The waste plastic products that people randomly throw away with a relative biodegradation rate that does not meet the standard requirements are swallowed by animals as food. Because the eaten plastic stays in the stomach for a long time and is difficult to digest, it is easy to cause animal poisoning or death.

High temperature environment will decompose toxic substances. Plastic products are non-toxic substances, but recycled plastic products are not perfect for recycling and reuse equipment, the process is simple, and the relative biodegradation rate and other indicators do not meet the national standards. Recycled plastic products will precipitate toxic substances when the temperature reaches 65°C. If it is used in food-related products and penetrates into food, it is easy to cause harm to human health.

In response to the above situation, the Sichuan Provincial Market Supervision Bureau reminds:

When purchasing degradable plastic bags or other degradable products, pay attention to check whether there is a degradable JJ logo on the product label, and check whether the product material description is PLA, PBAT, PBS and other degradable plastics.

Do not buy and use ultra-thin plastic bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm, polyethylene agricultural mulch films with a thickness of less than 0.01 mm, disposable foamed plastic tableware, disposable plastic cotton swabs, and daily chemical products containing plastic microbeads, and reduce non-degradable plastic tapes usage.

When going out shopping, take the initiative to use vegetable baskets, environmentally friendly cloth bags, paper bags, non-plastic products, and degradable plastic bags that meet the requirements of GB/T 38082-2019 "Biodegradable Plastic Shopping Bags".