New Standard: China's First Mandatory Express Packaging Standard GB 43352-2023 Implemented since June 1st - Industry News - C&K Testing

On January 25, 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (National Standards Committee) held a press conference to introduce five national standards for the express delivery industry. Among them, "Limits of Heavy Metals and Specific Substances in Express Packaging" (GB 43352-2023) is the first mandatory national standard for express packaging in China, which has been implemented since June 1, 2024. The State Post Bureau will work together with market supervision departments to strengthen the inspection and enforcement of the production, sale, testing, and use of express packaging materials. Products that do not meet the mandatory standards are not allowed to be produced, sold, or used. Therefore, the implementation of this standard will have a significant impact on enterprises throughout the upstream and downstream express packaging industry chain. It is recommended that relevant enterprises take early measures for management and response.

Scope of Application

This standard applies to express packaging and mail packaging made of paper, plastic, and textile fibers. It does not apply to express packaging that comes into direct contact with food.

Specific Requirements

The standard stipulates the limits for heavy metals and specific substances in express packaging made of paper, plastic, and textile fibers as shown in the table below. For composite material express packaging made of multiple types of materials, the manufacturing enterprise should declare the types of materials in the composite express packaging, and each material must separately meet the relevant requirements listed in the table below.

Material	Item		limit value
Paper Category	Heavy Metals (mg/kg)	Total (Lead + Mercury + Cadmium + Chromium)	≤100
		Lead (Pb)	≤50
		Mercury (Hg)	≤0.5
		Cadmium (Cd)	≤0.5
		Chromium (Cr)	≤50
	Solvent Residue （mg/m2）	Total	≤10
	Solvent Residue （mg/m2）	Benzene Series	≤3
	Bisphenol A (mg/kg) (*Assessed only for express electronic waybill products)		＜200
	AOX（mg/m2）		≤5
Plastic Category (Non-biodegradable)	Heavy Metals (mg/kg)	Total (Lead + Mercury + Cadmium + Chromium)	≤100
		Lead (Pb)	≤50
		Mercury (Hg)	≤0.5
		Cadmium (Cd)	≤0.5
		Chromium (Cr)	≤50
	Solvent Residue （mg/m2）	Total	≤10
	Solvent Residue （mg/m2）	Benzene Series	≤2
	Phthalates（mg/kg）	Total (DBP+BBP+DEHP)	≤1000
	Phthalates（mg/kg）	Total (DNOP+DINP+DIDP)	≤1000
Plastic Category (Biodegradable)	Heavy Metals (mg/kg)	Total (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	≤10
	Solvent Residue （mg/m2）	Benzene Series	≤2
	Phthalates（mg/kg）	Total (DBP+BBP+DEHP)	≤1000
	Phthalates（mg/kg）	Total (DNOP+DINP+DIDP)	≤1000
Textile Fiber Category	Heavy Metals (mg/kg)	Total (Lead + Mercury + Cadmium + Chromium)	≤100
		Lead (Pb)	≤50
		Mercury (Hg)	≤0.5
		Cadmium (Cd)	≤0.5
		Chromium (Cr)	≤50
Paper-based courier packaging: This includes courier envelopes, packaging boxes, electronic waybills, and paper fillers made primarily from materials such as kraft paper, coated white board, corrugated cardboard, honeycomb cardboard, and thermal paper. Plastic courier packaging: This encompasses courier packaging bags, plastic fillers, adhesive tapes, and reusable packaging boxes/bags made mainly from resin materials. Textile fiber courier packaging: This category includes courier bulk bags and similar items made from natural and synthetic fibers such as cotton, linen, and polyester fiber.

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