Circular economy is a kind of economic growth model based on the principle of efficient use and recycling of resources, with low consumption, low emission and high efficiency as the basic characteristics, and in line with the concept of sustainable development. It is a “mass production, mass consumption, and large-scale waste The fundamental transformation of the traditional resource-based economic growth model. The concept of circular economy requires a radical change in the tendency of re-development, light economy, heavy speed, and light economic efficiency, which emphasizes the development of a broader economy, lighter content development, and focuses on GDP and lighter environments. The new concept of circular economy was put forward by the Americans in the 1960s. It was soon taken seriously by industrialized countries. Germany and Japan successively formulated the "Recycling Economy Law" at the end of the last century to advance the circular economy with the rule of law. The international community has listed circular economy and knowledge economy as two major trends in the development of the world economy.

The recycling economy in the packaging industry will be composed of four major links: packaging materials reduction, clean packaging production, recycling of packaging resources, and efficient recycling of packaging waste (see Figure 1). There are many favorable conditions for the recycling economy in the packaging industry. Successfully operating waste recycling systems such as the German DSD have been implemented abroad. Recycling of packaging waste from the United States, Britain and Japan has also formed an industry, and the packaging industry has implemented cleaner production in China. There are many successful examples outside. Therefore, the packaging industry can fully implement the development of circular economy. The biggest obstacle for the packaging industry to implement the circular economy comes from early implementation of a technical transformation investment in the implementation of circular production. This is a small scale, poor awareness of the environment, only companies willing to produce products to make money are unwilling made. However, under the pressure of the world's resources, environment, and population, under the objective control of China's scientific development concept, the National Development and Reform Commission has determined that the concept of circular economy should be taken as the guiding ideology for China's "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" and increase the development of circular economy. The financial support, and by 2010 China will also build a circular economy laws and regulations system. Packaging enterprises should recognize this situation as soon as possible, take a step forward, make up their minds, invest in transformation, take the road of circular economy development, and at the same time seize the opportunity of the state to promote circular economy, and strive to obtain the government's support for corporate technological transformation funds. Only in this way can the packaging industry change its negative effects and make greater contributions to the development of the economy and the protection of the environment. At the same time, the enterprises themselves can also benefit from reducing production costs, responding to green barriers and improving market competitiveness, and achieving a new round of development.

2. Industrialization of recycling and recycling of packaging waste resources

Paper, plastic, glass, and metal waste packaging can all be recovered and recycled using certain technologies to recycle resources. Compared with the use of natural raw materials for the production of new packaging materials, it can save energy, which is currently a time of energy shortages. It is of great significance. For example, recycling aluminum cans to regenerate new packaging materials can save energy by 95% compared to aluminum packaging materials made from bauxite. Recycling steel and glass waste packaging to make new packaging materials can save more than the production of new packaging materials from ores or quartz sand. 50 to 75% of energy, adding re-melting furnace per ton of cullet glass can save 25kg of soda ash from melting new glass with quartz sand. Recycling of waste plastic packaging into packaging containers saves 85 to 96% of energy compared to new packaging made from resin. 85% of the resin consumption is saved. The use of waste paper to produce recycled paper can also save energy considerably compared to the production of paper from raw materials, while at the same time reducing environmental pollution.

Therefore, all countries in the world attach great importance to the recycling of waste packaging resources. In the United Kingdom, two-thirds of the waste paper is recycled. Recycled paper accounts for 55% of the total paper and paperboard production, and 80% of packaging paper products. It has become a pivotal industry; the United States attaches great importance to the establishment of a waste paper recycling network, making waste The recycling rate of paper reaches 70%, and the recycling rate of corrugated cardboard reaches 75%. After the production of recycled paper and paperboard, it is exported in large quantities and earns foreign exchange. This is the fastest-growing industry in the 1990s, and US Waste Processing International is At the end of the 20th century, the output value has reached 6 billion U.S. dollars. In Japan, the recovery rate of waste paper has reached 80%, and the production of recycled paper has become the second-largest industrial country for recycled paper except for the United Kingdom; Germany has passed legislation to forcefully recycle waste packaging resources. In addition, the famous Green Dot Company (DSD) has been established and the network system has spread all over the country. Currently, the recycling rate of paper, metal, and glass waste packaging has reached 65 to 80%, and the most difficult recycling plastic packaging recycling rate has also reached 50. %; Western developed countries have recycled more than 20% of their metal used for scrap metal recycling. In 1994, the recycling rate of used metal cans reached 69.8%. Under the guidance of the scientific concept of development and the promotion of the development of circular economy, the recycling of packaging waste resources in China must also become a new industry, which is another new trend in the development of China's packaging industry. In order to form industrialization of packaging waste resource recycling, three issues should be seriously solved: First, the state must legislate, and the “Packaging Waste Restriction Law” based on the polluter pays principle should be introduced as soon as possible; second, the recycling network should be established. System, Germany's DSD operation system and mechanism for our country's reference; Third, we must vigorously develop recycling processing, recycling, especially recycling and regeneration technology.

(to be continued)