Through the "618" promotional activities, see the green and low-carbon transformation of the industry
Express delivery industry, from "speed" to "green"
From breaking 10 billion pieces in 39 days to breaking 50 billion pieces in 5 months, since the beginning of this year, the business volume of the mainland express delivery industry has achieved an average monthly growth of "10 billion". The surge in logistics and transportation volume has brought about an increase in the total amount of carbon emissions, testing the industry's ability to transform green and low-carbon.
From "speed" to "green", how can the express delivery industry take a new path of green, circular and resource development?
Recently, the reporter tracked the processes of warehousing and sorting, transshipment and delivery, packaging and recycling, and observed the progress and results of the green development of the express delivery industry.
Warehousing link——
Photovoltaic power plants "landed" in transit centers
At 12 midnight on June 1, in Liuyang, Hunan Province, the Yunda Changsha Distribution Center, covering an area of 150,000 square meters, was brightly lit, and trucks full of packages were working intensively at 34 unloading ports.
Sheet scanning, cross-sorting, automatic packing... In the automated sorting workshop, four sets of 3-layer high-speed cross-belt sorting equipment are running rapidly, and packages delivered from various places are labeled with exclusive "ID cards", dropped into circular bags, and rushed to the next station.
"The fully automated operation of express sorting can reduce manpower by 70%, but it also makes the daily electricity consumption of the entire distribution center reach 35,000 kilowatt-hours." Guan Lin, head of Yunda Changsha Distribution Center, said that especially during the "618" promotional campaign, due to the need to start the machine in advance and increase the schedule to cope with the peak business season, the electricity load increased by about 5% compared with the daily life.
"Electricity consumption is rising, but it's more environmentally friendly." Following Guan Lin's guidance, I saw a large area of solar photovoltaic panels neatly laid on the roof of the distribution center. "These photovoltaic panels cover an area of nearly 50,000 square meters, and the clean electricity generated continuously can not only meet the electricity demand of the distribution center, but also save electricity on the Internet, saving energy for the society." Guan Lin said.
Since it was put into operation in October 2022 to the end of May this year, the photovoltaic power station has generated nearly 3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Transportation links——
"New energy" for logistics vehicles
At less than 5 o'clock on June 5, just after dawn, Yan Yongjian, a freight driver in Yuantong Beijing, began a busy day, from the Yuantong Jingbei Transfer Center to the Chaoyang National Exhibition outlet, dozens of kilometers, to run 5 round trips.
"The fuel consumption cost of diesel vehicles per kilometer is 7 cents, and new energy vehicles are only 3 cents, which is cost-effective!" In October last year, Yan Yong built one of the first batch of new energy logistics vehicle drivers in the YTO network.
Yuantong Financial Street outlet, express brother Zhao Qi has also recently changed his equipment. One by one, the packages are unloaded from the new energy vehicle, and the conveyor belt flows to the sorting port, and Zhao Qi skillfully picks, codes and loads the truck. "During the '618' campaign, an average of more than 400 deliveries were delivered per day, with 35% more freight than usual." Zhao Qi said.
The study shows that compared with warehousing and packaging, the carbon emissions of the express delivery industry in the transportation sector are more prominent in absolute volume and growth rate, which is the key to carbon emission reduction in the industry.
Focus on adjusting the transportation structure of the industry and accelerate the promotion of swing-and-hang transportation... In recent years, the State Post Bureau has actively promoted energy-saving and low-carbon transportation methods and equipment, coordinated the introduction of policies to support delivery enterprises to purchase and use new energy vehicles, and currently has more than 65,000 new energy vehicles in the industry.
Network Link——
Replace "smart environmental protection bag"
June 16, 2 p.m., Linyi, Shandong, Zhongtong Lanshan Aolong outlet. At one end of the warehouse, hundreds of blue bags are neatly stacked, and each bag is printed with a string of numbers. Kong Gangling, the head of the outlet, said that each bag has a built-in chip, which is equivalent to an "identity card". More importantly, this kind of bag can be reused for 4-6 months, saving more than 50% of the single use cost.
"In the past, traditional woven bags were used, which were cheap but easy to break once the package was heavy, and the package was missed and lost due to dewire loss and breakage. Today's recyclable transit bags are durable, lightweight and waterproof, and an average bag lasts more than a year!" Kong Gang Collar introduced that in the long run, the single use cost of the new bag collection bag is only more than 1 cent, which saves about 3 cents compared with the traditional woven bag, and the loading rate can be increased by 30%.
At 5 p.m., the bags filled with shipping were loaded one by one and transported to the Lunan Logistics Park of ZTO Express 10 kilometers away. Here, the packages will be sent across the country according to different "identity information".
"Through the chip in the intelligent environmental protection bag, the background can collect transit and flow information in real time to achieve the full tracking of parcel transportation." Cui Fukun, head of ZTO Express Shandong Linyi Transit Center, said. The tens of thousands of express deliveries just delivered by the vehicles at the outlet where Kong Gangling is located enter the sorting line and accurately fall into the corresponding grid. Under the lattice, the circulating transit bag can hold the parcel steadily, load it through the courier, and continue to deliver it to township and village-level outlets.
In recent years, the express delivery industry has solidly promoted the green governance of express packaging, and the recycling and reuse rate of express packaging has increased significantly. At present, express electronic waybills and circular transit bags have basically achieved full coverage.
Recycling link -
Upgrade "Old Things Recycling"
At 6 p.m. on June 18, Qiao Zirun, a young man after 00 on Daning Road Street, Jing'an District, Shanghai, opened the door, and it was the courier who made the appointment who came to collect a pair of small white shoes. "Not only does it not charge courier fees, but you can also receive an environmental protection bag, killing two birds with one stone!" Woodsy Run said. This new green experience is thanks to Cainiao's "Everything Recycling Festival" launched during this year's "618" promotional activities.
The recycled small white shoes will be sent to the Shanghai sorting center within 24 hours and enter the used sorting warehouse in Nantong, Jiangsu Province within 2 days. Shen Kaili, head of operations at Cainiao Green Home, said that after arriving at the recycling plant, the shoes will be sorted and used through cleaning, sorting and other processes - the laces are removed for crafts; The upper and sole are separated, and the upper fabric is used to make sound insulation cotton, thermal insulation materials, etc.; The sole will be broken into PVC granules for reprocessing to achieve product recycling.
According to the random inspection of parcels in May, at present, 90% of mainland e-commerce express shipments are no longer repacked, 380 million mail express shipments use recyclable packaging, and 350 million corrugated boxes with good quality are recycled and reused.
"The green governance of express packaging involves many subjects, long chains and wide fields, and in the process of promotion, all departments need to work together to form a situation of joint management." Guan Aiguang, deputy director of the Department of Market Regulation of the State Post Bureau, said that this year will issue implementation opinions on the green and low-carbon transformation and development of the industry, further promote the treatment of plastic pollution and excessive packaging in the industry, continue to carry out pilot projects of green outlets and green distribution centers, and steadily increase the proportion of recyclable express packaging applications. (Reporter Han Xin)