Before the 1990s, extruded PS foam sheet production process mainly used CFCs as the traditional production process of foaming agent and CFCS have been confirmed a great damage to the ozone layer in the atmosphere, but from 1987 the United Nations ozone layer protection of important historical documents the Montreal (Montreal Protocol) "released since, CFCs in the world was forbidden gradually, and to butane and pentane as foaming agent. The PS foam plastic tableware, began in the middle period of the eighties of the 20th century, to the 1990s to a total of more than 50 production enterprises, more than 130 PS extrusion foaming production line, most of them Chinese Taiwanese owned enterprises, the majority of production line in CFCs blowing agent have been eliminated, while the use of alternative butane. Its small part and the domestic production line also through the application for the establishment of the United Nations Special multilateral funds, but also gradually eliminated the CFC foaming agent, and switch to the use of the technology. It is understood that the present has been basically completed the replacement work, so there is no PS foam tableware production process damage the ozone layer of the problem. However, the defects of butane, pentane foaming agent is the main problem of explosion, but also the attention, but it has nothing to do and the destruction of the ozone layer, the most effective way to solve this problem is to strengthen management, and many countries are actively developing carbon dioxide for the new process of foaming agent, and have been implemented in the industrial production line.
PS foam tableware and recycling
PS plastic foam tableware can not be recycled view, is also one of the main reasons for the disabled, which is a misunderstanding. The weeks, PS foam is a thermoplastic plastics, the waste Recyclable utilization is beyond all dispute fact. But PS foam plastic tableware light weight, large size, the use of more scattered, do give a considerable difficulty in recycling. Therefore, since the end of the eighties of the 20th century, American eight states, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan Province of China had to PS foam plastic tableware management legislation disabled, restricted, but after the implementation of found disabled and not a very good solution to the environmental problems, because there is no suitable alternatives, but caused inconvenience, enable disable regulations difficult to implement, so many of the ban was revoked, some not to be executed and end up with nothing definite, some modifications to achieve certain recycling rate and recycling rate requirements.
U.S.A
United States of PS foam products management policy, Congress has yet to formulate regulations formally, but several states have legislation, such as since 1988, the United States, about by eight, a total of 39 towns with PS foam containers disable regulations for food, but in the implementation and many changes, in fact only a few towns' execution, and some have been officially abolished, most of the major to facilitate recycling regulations instead of the forbidden. However, the use of CFCS as a foaming agent PS foam packaging products and containers of the ban is not in addition.
, love Iowa in 1989 had issued a decree, the provisions of if PS foam material waste recycling regeneration utilization failed to reach the required ratio, will be prohibited from which is used for the production and sale of packaging and food containers, the act has been in 1995 lifted.
Maine state in 1997 on the original formulation of the ban on the PS foam plastic food containers act, modified for the use of government units PS foam plastic food containers must be recycled, or disable. The elderly who are not disabled for school or need to eat in a wheelchair.
And California and Oregon in 1995 will be the original formulation of the PS foam food containers ban modified to must reach 25% recovery rate.
North Carolina in 1995, the original regulations require PS foam plastic food containers with at least more than 25% of the content of recycled materials, modify the proportion of recycled materials do not demand.
, South Carolina in 1992 promulgated the "shall not sell, trade or to provide PS foam food containers, but as the container containing recycled material except" regulations, has yet to be enforced.
In the early 1990s, the Dow Chemical Company, led by eight pre expanded polystyrene (EPS), PS foam manufacturers a total investment of .6 billion in establishment of EPS packaging recycling companies and associations (including PS foam), is responsible for the promotion of industrial use of EPS products recycling work. At 　　present, there are more than and 200 industrial EPS products recycling point, constitute a national recycling system, recycling methods generally use re grinding and hot melt method. At present, the recovery rate of EPS has increased from 25% in 1995 to more than 30%. Due to the strengthening of the recycling work, in 2000 the United States PS foam tableware consumption reached 23.2KT, an average annual increase of 8%, the average recovery rate of 12%.
　　Germany
　　Germany is the most stringent laws and regulations of the state, in 1991 issued the "packaging materials and regulations", the provisions of plastic packaging recycling rate of 64%. And will be fully implemented in the manufacturer bear the responsibility. In 1992 by the raw materials, packaging materials, consumer goods manufacturers and traders more than 400 companies organize DSD (DUALSYSTEM DEUTSHLAND) national of waste and recycling system (green) was established, the establishment of separate collection system and plastic packaging "green dot" fees charged, used to subsidize recycling into this.
　　Germany did not list the PS foam tableware as disabled, only the use of PS foam plastic is not allowed to CFCS as a foaming agent, since August 1991, Germany has fully disabled CFCS containing PS plastic foam packaging materials. PS foam tableware has not been disabled, but its recovery is difficult, high cost, or due to the limited recovery process, so the German recovery system has a selective acceptance.
　　Japan
　　Japan's management of PS foam plastic tableware, the 1980s also has considered disabled. Since the 1990s, the trend to strengthen the recovery and resource utilization, and in 1991 by Japanese PS foamed plastics industry (including raw materials and processing manufacturer) established PS (including PS foam) renewable resources Recycling Association (referred to as JEPSRA). Is responsible for organizing the recovery treatment appliances, CA machine packaging materials, fresh food market, the use of the fish box, box of fruits and vegetables and food containers, etc. waste and commissioned water chemical industry Co., Ltd. set up the packaging material processing field for final processing, processing into plaster admixture material, soil improvement agent or as a renewable materials, processed into other products. 2001 EPS recovery ratio: recycling granulation 37.8%, heat 22.3%, a total of 60.1%, to achieve the goal of 86%.
　　The Republic of Korea
　　South Korea of plastic waste management and recycling more attention, have developed a number of regulations: 1979 to develop the synthetic resin waste treatment industry law, 1991 "waste management law", 1992 "to promote resource conservation and reuse method" and the for the suppression of packaging waste packaging method and packaging material standard agreement, the agreement stipulated in Article 5 of prohibited use packaging materials which are difficult to decompose, shall not use PS foam as toys, gifts, such as the shockproof packaging materials, shall not be used PS foam laminated materials and coating materials as packaging materials...... ; the promotion of resource conservation and reuse of the law, the provisions of EPS, PS plastic foam packaging waste must be classified storage and recycling, EPS recovery ratio of large enterprises required to reach 50%, small and medium enterprises reached 30%. The law in 2002 was amended, increased taxation and compulsory recycling content: on the recovery of the products, materials, packaging container producer, importer is taxed and ask them for the main products mandatory recycling. The tax of goods including PS foam instant noodles bowl, tray, seafood, agricultural products and livestock food box etc..
　　South Korea in 2001 EPS total consumption of 228165 tons, 50000 tons of waste generated, the amount of 27252 tons of recovery, the recovery rate of 53.5%
　　South Korea to general PS foam plastic tableware compulsory recycling, but on the packaging for such as cup noodles and export products not within limits, 2000 consumption 35KT.
　　Taiwan Province, China
　　1989 China's Taiwan Province of PS foam manufacturers in subordinated to Taiwan plastics industry trade unions established the PS foam products committee, planning the recovery work, 1990 by 16 PS foam sheet manufacturer co founded the "green fund" is mainly responsible for the PS foam plastic disposable tableware recycling and reuse technology research and development.
　　In 1991, the Taiwan provincial Environmental Protection Bureau of the "waste clean-up law", which will be included in the PS foam control project, the requirements to achieve a certain rate of recovery. 1992 has developed a "ban on the use of PS plastic foam food packaging containers", with the expansion of the recycling business, this law has been lifted in 1994. And modified for recycling to regulate its use conditions.
　　In 1991, the Taiwan provincial Environmental Protection Bureau of the "waste clean-up law", which will be included in the PS foam tableware control project, the requirements to achieve a certain proportion of the recovery rate. In 1992, has formulated the "authority to prohibit the use of PS plastic foam food packaging points" regulations. With the smooth development of recycling operations, the regulations have been lifted in 1994, and modified to regulate their use of recycling conditions.
　　Taiwan PS foam recovery work began in 1992 after more than 10 years of recovery, recycling system is constantly improved, and the establishment of the relevant recycling system. Since 1997, the Taiwan government will be sponsored by civilian recovery work into the official recycling system is the green protection fund "go to 　　Environmental Protection Bureau under the resource recycling management fund management committee", to improve the efficiency of recycling and more orderly management. In 2001, a total of nearly PS recycling of 29.1KT foam waste tableware.
Since the 1990s, Taiwan has asked the disable PS foam voices constantly, and recycling and regeneration cost growth, 1997, the Taiwan Environmental Protection Bureau of the waste disposal act "content is modified to increase the" easy to cause serious pollution of the material or product can be prohibited the use of or restrictions on the use of "regulations. At present, the environmental protection agency is the phased implementation of the PSPS foam tableware control. The first stage in April 2003, the first in the various organs and schools in the implementation of the second phase in 2004 1 to expand to the business places and supermarkets. The management of the PS foam plastic in the above act is limited to the provisions and conditions, is not completely disabled. In spite of this, the present has not been seriously implemented.
　　China
　　From 1997 to 1998, the State Environmental Protection Administration promulgated the relevant laws and regulations to strengthen the recycling of plastic packaging waste, but due to various reasons, it has not been implemented. In 1999, the former State Economic and Trade Commission issued 6 orders and requirements by the end of 2000 previously eliminated PS foam plastic disposable tableware, before this, Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Wuhan, Xi'an and other 10 cities also promulgated the ban and the schedule of implementation, but due to various reasons. Difficult to implement the policy, many city market, PS foam plastic tableware is still everywhere, to make the forbidden Bering equal to the white ban. In many cities, Shanghai is more practical and effective. Shanghai City, using foreign experience combined with the specific circumstances of the city, in 2000 issued eighty-fourth orders of the people's government, the management of disposable plastic containers "source control, recycling, and gradually prohibited, encourage the replacement of" principle, and begin to implement the "Interim Measures" of disposable plastic lunch box, according to the principle of the polluter, who is responsible for environmental management the management department by the manufacturer to charge only 3 per cent of pollution control fee, respectively as payment recovery service fee, transportation, management and law enforcement costs and waste disposal fee boxes (each 1 cents), referred to as Shanghai "3 cents" project at the Shanghai recovery rate of 60%, a total of 5 years of recovery time waste plastic boxes up to 9 hundred million, about 5785 tons, the effect is significant.
　　In order to ensure the recycling, Shanghai established effective recycling use of the network, by the Shanghai and Kunshan 6 PS foam plastic tableware manufacturers common fund 400 million yuan was set up Recycling Co., Ltd. in Kunshan Bao Luyuan. (referred to as Paul Green Company) it and Putuo District Waste Comprehensive Utilization Center, responsible for recycling utilization of Shanghai City PS foam lunch boxes. The regeneration per ton price of raw materials with new material price soar also increased to 3000 yuan, but only for the new material, about 1 / 3, recycled materials is mainly used for processing into a variety of building materials, CD packaging shell, filter net of air conditioner, raincoat button, stationery and other, has been in short supply.
　　Beijing city is the first to develop PS foam tableware recycling regulations and organize the implementation of one of the city. Early in 1997, Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, the trade and Industry Bureau jointly issued the "about of disposable plastic lunch boxes must be recycled notice", and recovery rate in 1998 must reach 30%. In 1999 reached 50%, 2000 to 60% of the requirements of environmental protection.
To tie in with the implementation of government decrees, 1997 Beijing six PS foam plastic tableware manufacturers jointly organized the "Beijing Fusheng environmental technology companies", formulated the corresponding recovery plan, in the Beijing area before the establishment of the eight recycling station, after more than four years of operation and continuous improvement, at the same time is also affected by the policy implementation requirements reduced to three recycling station. Another recycling costs are in line with the principle of "who pollution, who control", the cost of the recovery of all costs borne by the production enterprise.
In order to improve the PS foamed plastics recycling processing capacity, 1999 by the six PS foam plastic tableware enterprises investment million, established the "Beijing Bao green plastic recycling processing Co., Ltd., from Taiwan to introduce large-scale recycling processing equipment, and gain the sewage treatment system, which makes the discharged water can meet the standard requirements, the device processing capacity to reach 150-180 tons, recycled aggregate rate of more than 60%, recycled aggregate is mainly used in the manufacture of plastic flower box, culture and living appliances and plastic building materials." From 1998 to 2001 in more than three years, through the government and enterprises to work together the recovery work can be carried out smoothly, recycling system gradually tends to the systematization, standardization, scale, total production of renewable materials more than 4200 tons, recovery rate stable at around 60%, recycled aggregate quality, price moderate, normal sales effect is remarkable.
　　In 1999, the Beijing Municipal People's government released the 25 orders the Beijing restrictions on the sale and use of plastic bags and disposable tableware management approach ", in the train station, bus station, capital of a civilized scenic spot, airports, hotels and other places, prohibit the sale and use of disposable foam tableware...
In recent years due to the recovery of Beijing city and limit a larger conflict with national policy and 6 orders, has been carried out for many years, and more effective recycling work no longer supported by the government, and basically is at a standstill, about recycling equipment and idle factories, workers were laid off.
From the above domestic and foreign regulations on PS foam tableware and recycling situation analysis, we can see the following trends and inspiration:
　　Graders at home and abroad on the PS foam plastic tableware disable regulations, after after the implementation of the found there are a lot of problems, difficult to implement, but also not very good solve the contradiction of environment, and some were released, and some changes of restricted or disable local, also some because does not conform to the market rule and no compliance and become a mere scrap of paper, lose credibility and binding.
　　The PS foam plastic tableware despite recycling to use certain difficulty in the actual operation of, but from Shanghai, Beijing, the experience, as long as they follow the "circular economy" concept, strengthen guide and all aspects of co-operation, especially according to "who pollution, who governance" principles and the majority of PS foam plastic tableware manufacturers were willing to pay the cost of pollution, PS foam plastic tableware is can be recycled, and can get better economic benefit and social benefit. In order to enhance the vitality and competitiveness of the market, it is only to strengthen the recycling and recycling of PS foam tableware.