Green logistics (Environmental logistics) studies the modern logistics system from the perspective of environmental protection and forms an integrated cyclic logistics system that is symbiotic with the environment, changing the one-way relationship between the original economic development and logistics, and restraining logistics from the environment. Harm causing harm and adopting a completely new concept in harmony with the environment, so that every aspect of the logistics system is built on the basis of being conducive to the protection of the environment, and the waste materials can be returned to the normal logistics process, while at the same time promoting economic and The healthy development of consumption. It aims to reduce the pollution of the environment and reduce resource consumption. It uses advanced logistics technologies to plan and implement logistics activities such as transportation, storage, packaging, loading and unloading, and distribution processing. Green logistics has the following characteristics:
First, the fundamental difference between green logistics and general logistics is the diversification of goals. General logistics is based on economic interests as the fundamental pursuit of goals, leading to conflicts with environmental interests. Green logistics is the common pursuit of environmental interests and economic interests, and the pursuit of a win-win situation between environmental interests and economic interests. Modern green logistics management emphasizes the overall and long-term interests, emphasizes all-round attention to the environment, reflects the green image of the company, and is a new trend of logistics management.
Second, the concept of environmental protection runs through the entire process of green logistics. From the forward logistics operations to the recycling of wastes for the purpose of resource reuse, from the planning of logistics systems to the management of logistics activities, environmental protection is an important indicator for evaluating whether logistics systems are effective and reasonable.
Thirdly, from the perspective of the scope of green logistics activities, it includes both individual green logistics operations (such as green transportation, green packaging, green circulation processing, etc.), and waste recycling logistics for recycling of resources.
Fourth, green logistics emphasizes the cooperation between enterprises and seeks the development strategy of economic and environmental symbiosis.
The implementation of green logistics is not only a matter of the enterprise, but also must strengthen the management of the modern logistics system from the perspective of government constraints, and jointly build a framework for the development of green logistics.
1 Relationship between logistics and packaging
Modern logistics combines organic packaging, loading and unloading, storage, inventory management, distribution processing, transportation, distribution, and other activities to form a complete supply chain, providing users with multi-functional, integrated and comprehensive services. As an important part of modern logistics, packaging has faced the rapid development of modern logistics, packaging technology has ushered in new opportunities and challenges, requiring it to be intelligent, standardized, systematic, mechanized and automated, convenient and rational development.
on the other hand. Packaging has a special place in the entire logistics activities. In the process of production and distribution, packaging is at the end of the production process and the beginning of the logistics process, which is both the end of production and the beginning of the logistics process. Practical research and proof have shown that the significance of packaging as a logistics starting point is much greater than that of the production end point. Throughout the logistics process, packaging is present at all times. When packaging products, what kind of packaging materials (such as: paper, plastic, glass, iron products), packaging containers (such as: paper boxes, plastic products, corrugated boxes), packaging technologies (such as: moisture-proof packaging, shrink packaging , vacuum packaging, etc.) and packaging structures (tube boxes, tray boxes, functional cartons, etc.) will directly affect the efficiency and quality of the basic functions of loading, unloading, handling, storage, distribution, and transportation in the logistics system. It is related to the level of logistics services, economic benefits and social benefits.
What is more important is that logistics information management is the key and core of modern logistics standardization. All kinds of product information will be reflected and reflected in the various packaging of the product. Therefore, what type of automatic data collection technology (tags, bar codes, radio frequency technologies, etc.) should be set on different levels of packaging is of utmost importance for the management of logistics information, the management of the entire logistics supply chain and even the management of the entire logistics system. Information is the fundamental basis and decision-making basis of logistics network control. Only after grasping the comprehensive, timely, and accurate information of the logistics system can we ensure the controllability of the logistics network. Therefore, packaging and logistics are complementary, mutually restrictive, inseparable, common development and progress. It is no exaggeration to say that all the components of the green logistics system are related to green packaging. In order to realize the green of logistics, it is necessary to achieve green packaging - green packaging.
2 The connotation of green packaging
Green Package is not only a brand-new concept in the packaging industry, but also a decisive factor in achieving green logistics. However, packaging is also an important means of product marketing. In order to pursue pure economic benefits, a large number of packaging materials are abandoned by consumers after being used once. For example, the problem of white pollution in China today is caused by non-degradable plastic packaging. Green packaging is to improve the green logistics system from the perspective of environmental protection and form a symbiotic environment-friendly logistics management system, which will be fully developed in the packaging industry and logistics industry.
Green packaging should generally have 5 aspects: First, reduce the packaging (Reduce), packaging in the protection, convenience, sales and other functions, should be the least amount; Second, the packaging should be easy to reuse (Reuse ), or Easy Recycle. Through the production of recycled products, incineration of heat energy, composting and improvement of soil and other measures to achieve the purpose of reuse; Third, packaging waste can be degraded (Degradable), does not form permanent waste, and then achieve the purpose of improving soil. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Degradable is the 3R1D principle recognized by the world today for the development of green packaging; Fourth, packaging materials should be non-toxic and harmless to humans and organisms, packaging materials should not contain toxic elements, halogens, heavy metals, or the content should be controlled The relevant standards are as follows; Fifth, packaging products shall not cause pollution to the human body or the environment from the collection of raw materials, processing of materials, manufacturing of products, use of products, recycling of wastes, and the entire course of life up to final disposal. The first four points should be the requirements that green packaging must have. The last point is based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) and the highest requirements for green packaging put forward from the point of view of system engineering. Just as the Quantum hard disk drive packaging recycling program of the United States Quantum company is based on the LCA, the packaging recycling project PfuP (Packaging ReuseProgram) has not only saved about 40% of the energy supply chain. It also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. What's more important is that this project can save the cost for Quantum Quantum and its customers.
3 Measures to achieve green packaging
Green packaging refers to the use of packaging that conserves resources and protects the environment. Green packaging requires logistics companies that provide packaging services to carry out green packaging renovations, including the use of environmentally friendly materials, improved material utilization, design of foldable packaging to reduce no-load rates, and establishment of packaging recycling systems. The promotion of the production department adopts packages that are as simple as possible and made of degradable materials; in the process of circulation, various measures should be taken to rationalize and modernize the packages.
3.1 Packaging Modularization
Determining the package size is based on the packaging module size. The coefficient of the package size that is established to achieve the rationalization of packaged goods is called the packaging modulus. After the packaging modulus standard has been established, various products entering the circulation field will need to be packed in the size specified by the modulus. Modular packaging facilitates the collection of small packages, which facilitates the use of containers and pallets for packing and loading. The packing box can be placed on the tray in a reasonable and efficient manner according to a certain stacking method. The modularity of packaging, such as energy storage, and the dimensional modulus of warehouse facilities and transportation facilities, are also conducive to transportation and storage, so as to rationalize the logistics system.
3.2 Upsizing and Assembly of Packaging
It is conducive to the mechanization of the logistics system in handling, relocation, storage, transportation, etc., to speed up the operation speed of these links, help to reduce unit packaging, save packaging materials and packaging costs, and help protect the goods. Such as using containers, container bags, trays and other containers.
3.3 Multiple, repeated use of packaging and disposal of discarded packaging Measures for recycling of packaging include: use of general-purpose packaging without special arrangements for return use; use of reusable packaging for repeated use, such as beverages, beer bottles Etc.; step-by-step use, once used packaging, use it for use or after a simple treatment and then convert it to other uses; the waste packaging after reprocessing, for his use or the production of new materials.
3.4 Green Material Technology
The green packaging material is a material that has good use performance or function, little pollution to the ecological environment, easy to degrade, easy to recycle, high recycling rate or can be used for effective recycling of the environment, and does not cause harm to the human body. The current research on green packaging is to some extent the study of the recyclability and degradability of packaging materials, so the packaging material technology is the key to the smooth implementation of green packaging. Green materials are not just paper materials that are easy to handle, but also include degradable plastics, aluminum packaging, and even edible packaging. From the point of view of the product's life cycle, paper packaging is not a complete sense of green packaging. Because the paper industry is heavily polluting the environment, although it is recyclable, the recycled paper produced each time will reduce the quality level. With the widely used plastics, as long as it overcomes the non-degradable technical difficulties, plastics will become the most important green material in the new century.
3.5 Develop green packaging structure
When we develop and research a variety of new and beautiful packaging structure products, we should fully consider its green environmental performance. For example, a paper box is a kind of paper packaging structure. It has three major functions of packaging, namely protection function, usage function and promotion function. In addition, it also has the advantages of good processing performance, easy molding, and easy recycling, and the molding and filling process is easy to realize mechanization, automation, and high speed. It is widely used by all countries in the world.
3.6 Green Process
The green process can be understood from two aspects. The first is the green packaging process, which emphasizes the environmental factors in the process of product packaging and puts the concept of environmental protection into it. This is a hot topic in the research of packaging technology. The second is the green manufacturing process. The green manufacturing process is firstly an advanced manufacturing process. The advanced manufacturing process is the foundation of any manufacturing mode and is the basis for product production. Research on advanced production processes has always been the most concern in the business community. Subject.
3.7 Green Packaging Evaluation System
The green packaging evaluation system should include the environmental impact and resource consumption of the packaging product throughout its life cycle, including four sub-levels of environmental indicators, economic indicators, social indicators and resource indicators. Each sub-level of evaluation indicators can be based on structure, function, and effect. Divided into smaller standards.
4 Conclusion
Modern green logistics management emphasizes the overall and long-term interests, emphasizing all-around environmental concerns, embodying the company's green image, and is a new trend in logistics management. Logistics studies involve a wide range of subject areas, especially with the packaging disciplines. Therefore, we must integrate logistics and packaging organically and vigorously develop green packaging under the green logistics system. (peter)
Source: Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Yin Xing, Sun Cheng