Disposable tableware is divided into the following three categories according to the source of raw materials, production process, degradation method, and recycling level:
1. Biodegradable types: such as paper products (including pulp molding type, cardboard coating type), edible powder molding type, plant fiber molding type, etc.;
2. Photo/biodegradable materials: photo/biodegradable plastic (non-foaming) type, such as photobiodegradable PP;
3. Materials that are easy to recycle: such as polypropylene (PP), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), biaxially oriented polystyrene (BOPS), natural inorganic mineral-filled polypropylene composite products, etc. With the continuous improvement of people’s living standards, various disposable paper daily necessities emerge in an endless stream, and many kinds of household paper used in different occasions have been continuously released. In each country, the penetration rate of disposable paper products, especially toilet paper and feminine hygiene products, is much higher in Tier 1 cities than in Tier 2 and 3 cities and rural areas.
According to a data research center, with the saturation of disposable paper products in developed urban markets, second- and third-tier cities and rural areas have become new market growth areas. On March 15, 2021, the International Consumer Rights Day, the State Administration for Market Regulation issued product consumption tips: try to choose colorless products without decorative patterns for disposable tableware.
