Environmental & Analytical Toxicology

China’s Environmental Threats of Internet Shopping Packaging Wastes

Abstract

Man Zhang, Yaning Chen and Yanjun Shen

Internet retailing is a B2C E-commerce mode that is significantly contributing to China’s economic growth. In fact, online retailing in China has developed so rapidly that as of 2014, the country ranks first globally, accounting for 34% of the world’s Internet retailing market share. Along with its financial windfall, however, Internet shopping also brings with it some serious environmental issues. This article will focus on online shopping packaging garbage, which is an aspect of Internet retailing that has not yet received enough attention from either the Chinese government or Chinese consumers. Approximately 14 billion online shopping parcels were shipped in China in 2014, an increase of 52% over 2013. If this trend continues, the waste generated from these shipments will become a massive environmental problem. Excessive packaging and packaging garbage are not only a huge waste of resources, but they also endanger human health and the ecological environment. Internet retailing is important for developing China’s economy, but the development of the Internet economy should not be made at the expense of the environment. China's regulation and disposal of online shopping packaging waste has important reference values for other countries that are developing an Internet retailing economy.