(Photo/Chinanews.com)

The expanding volume of express parcels in China puts massive pressure on the country’s environmental protection as consumption of parcel packages surges, said a report on the green development of the express industry issued Wednesday in Beijing.

Statistics showed that China’s express delivery sector handled over 50.7 billion parcels last year, up 26.6 percent year-on-year. In other words, the sector handled an average of 140 million packages every day, with the figure hitting 420 million at its highest.

In the first half of 2019, China’s express industry created revenue of more nearly 340 billion yuan, up 23.7 percent from a year ago.

The report said that out of consideration for cost and efficiency, most enterprises focused on short-term interests and didn't show much enthusiasm for green development.

Besides, consumers most often discard or destroy the boxes after they receive deliveries, leading to a low recycling rate and waste of resources.

“To promote green development in the express industry is a responsibility of all enterprises in the sector,” said Liu Jun, deputy director of China's State Post Bureau (SPB) at an industry summit held on Aug. 14.

He noted that by the end of June, digital waybills had been applied to 96 percent of courier deliveries, while 45 percent of the products sold on e-commerce platforms have stopped using secondary packaging.

Around 10,000 waste sorting devices have been installed at postal service stations across the country, and 20,000 new energy vehicles are now running deliveries for express enterprises, Liu disclosed.

Express companies including SF Express, JD.com and Suning are reportedly testing green packaging. JD.com and Suning are now promoting the usage of thinner adhesive tapes, and SF Express's new packaging plan has reduced 115 tons of cartons, 80 tons of poly-woven bags and 500 tons of air bubble films.