Effective 2023, import tariffs on certain timber and paper products (including packaging paper) have decreased significantly, with tariffs on the majority of these products dropping to zero.
On February 1, 2023, two national standards-*Packaging Recycling Marks* and *Packaging: Packaging and Environment-Terminology*-officially came into force. *Packaging Recycling Marks* focuses on the production, usage, and recycling requirements for common packaging materials-such as paper, plastics, metals, glass, and composite materials-and, taking into account the specific characteristics of each material type, stipulates the categories, basic graphic designs, and labeling requirements for recycling marks. *Packaging: Packaging and Environment-Terminology*, conversely, provides definitions for key relevant terms.
Local authorities have established requirements for supervisory spot checks regarding the quality of products such as paper packaging and containers intended for food contact. For instance, the detailed implementation rules for spot checks in Shandong Province specify that the standards serving as the basis for quality determination include GB 4806.8, GB/T 24696 (Parchment Paper for Food Packaging), GB/T 27589 (Paper Meal Boxes), GB/T 27590 (Paper Cups), GB/T 31122 (Paperboard for Liquid Food Packaging), GB/T 31123 (Paperboard for Solid Food Packaging), QB/T 1014 (Food Packaging Paper), among others.
