On November 27, 2023, the national mandatory standard GB 43352-2023 "Limits of Heavy Metals and Specific Substances in Express Packaging" was officially released by the National Standardization Administration Committee. The standard will be officially implemented on June 1, 2024. The release and implementation of this standard will have a significant impact on upstream and downstream enterprises in the express packaging industry chain.

Scope of application: Suitable for paper, plastic, and textile fiber express packaging and mail packaging. It is not suitable for express packaging that directly contacts food.

Specific requirements: The standards stipulate the limit requirements for heavy metals and specific substances in paper, plastic and textile fiber express packaging as shown in the table below. For composite express packaging composed of multiple materials, the manufacturer should declare the type of each material in the composite express packaging, and each material should meet the relevant requirements in the table below.

Limit requirements for heavy metals and specific substances in paper, plastic, and textile fiber express packaging

Material

project

limit value

Paper

Heavy metals (mg/kg)

Total amount (lead + mercury + cadmium + chromium)

≤100

Lead (Pb)

≤50

Mercury (Hg)

≤0.5

Cadmium (Cd)

≤0.5

Chromium (Cr)

≤50

Solvent residue (mg/m2)

total amount

≤10

Benzene

≤3

Bisphenol A (mg/kg) (*Only express electronic waybill products are assessed)

<200

AOX(mg/m2)

≤5

Plastic (non-biodegradable)

Heavy metals (mg/kg)

Total amount (lead + mercury + cadmium + chromium)

≤100

Lead (Pb)

≤50

Mercury (Hg)

≤0.5

Cadmium (Cd)

≤0.5

Chromium (Cr)

≤50

Solvent residue (mg/m2)

total amount

≤10

Benzene

≤2

Phthalates (mg/kg)

Total amount (DBP+BBP+DEHP)

≤1000

Total amount (DNOP+DINP+DIDP)

≤1000

Plastic (biodegradable)

Heavy metals (mg/kg)

Total amount (lead + mercury + cadmium + chromium)

≤100

Lead (Pb)

≤50

Mercury (Hg)

≤0.5

Cadmium (Cd)

≤0.5

Chromium (Cr)

≤50

Zinc(Zn)

≤150

Copper(Cu)

≤50

Nickel (Ni)

≤25

Molybdenum (Mo)

≤1

Selenium(Se)

≤0.75

Arsenic(As)

≤5

Fluorine(F)

≤100

Solvent residue (mg/m2)

total amount

≤10

Benzene

≤2

Phthalates (mg/kg)

Total amount (DBP+BBP+DEHP)

≤1000

Total amount (DNOP+DINP+DIDP)

≤1000

Textile fibers

Heavy metals (mg/kg)

Total amount (lead + mercury + cadmium + chromium)

≤100

Lead (Pb)

≤50

Mercury (Hg)

≤0.5

Cadmium (Cd)

≤0.5

Chromium (Cr)

≤50

The bisphenol A requirement marked a only applies to express electronic waybill products.

Paper express packaging: including express envelopes, packaging boxes, electronic waybills and paper fillers made of kraft cardboard, self-coated cardboard, corrugated cardboard, honeycomb cardboard, thermal paper, etc. as the main raw materials.

Plastic express packaging: including express packaging bags made of resin as the main raw material, plastic fillers, tapes, recycling boxes/bags, etc.

Textile fiber express packaging: including express container bags made of natural and chemical fibers such as cotton, linen, polyester fiber, etc. as the main raw materials.

Download the original text of the standard:

http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=621C6A598075F758FB3583BAB61B416