Technical Standards for China’s Composite Packaging Industry

　　With the development of China’s flexible packaging industry, product technical standards have also evolved accordingly. However, objectively speaking, the advancement of these standards still lags far behind the pace of product innovation, failing to meet market demands—primarily due to the following factors.

　　1. Composite flexible packaging structures have been developing rapidly, with dozens of configurations now in use; however, existing standards cover only a few, such as BOPP/LDPE and ONY/LDPE, leaving many other structures unaddressed. In the third quarter of 2001, the State Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine conducted a supervisory sampling inspection of film and bag products used for food and pharmaceutical packaging. Due to the lack of appropriate national standards, testing ultimately relied on GB/T 10005‑1998, GB/T 10004‑1998, GB/T 10003‑1996, and relevant enterprise standards. Meanwhile, the Composite Film Professional Committee is preparing to release a national standard for general requirements for composite films, drafted in accordance with JIS 1707, which will provide strong impetus for the industry’s development.

　　2. The application scope of composite flexible packaging continues to expand. In addition to the traditional sectors of pharmaceuticals and food, composite flexible pouches are now widely used in other industrial fields such as agrochemicals, electronics, defense, and detergents and cosmetics. Depending on the nature of the packaged contents and the specific application area, a wide range of requirements arise. Even within the food‑packaging sector, different types of food—such as those requiring pasteurization, boiling, 121°C steam sterilization, 135°C steam sterilization, microwave‑compatible packaging, or vacuum sealing—give rise to a series of specialized technical specifications.

　　3. Composite flexible packaging encompasses chemical‑plastic profiles, light‑industry plastic products, plastic packaging, and a wide range of application sectors. However, the lack of coordination and standardization across these industries results in weak planning and insufficient uniformity in the standards. For example, retortable packaging films and bags are covered by both a national standard—GB/T 10004‑1998—and an industry standard—BB/T 0003‑94; yet the two standards do not consistently align on requirements for the same items.

　　4. For composite flexible packaging, raw and auxiliary materials—such as various films, adhesives, solvents, and additives—currently lack corresponding industry standards, which is a significant factor hindering the healthy development of the composite flexible packaging sector.

　　Only through coordinated efforts, enhanced management, and collaborative industry-wide initiatives to promptly refine product standards can the flexible composite packaging sector further advance its technological and quality capabilities, thereby ensuring the industry’s sound and sustainable development.

　　Product Industry Standard:

　　Packaging Industry BB/T0003-94 High-Temperature Retort Pouch;

　　Light industry sector: QB/1871-93 biaxially oriented nylon (BONY)/low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composite films and bags; QB/T 219796 composite films and bags for pickled mustard tuber packaging;

　　Pharmaceutical Industry YY0236-1996 Composite Films for Pharmaceutical Packaging (General Requirements).

　　Product Hygiene Standards:

　　GB 9683-1988 Hygienic Standard for Composite Food Packaging Bags;

　　GB 9685-1994 Standard for the Use of Additives in Food Containers and Packaging Materials;

　　GB 9687-1988 Standard for the Use of Polyethylene Molded Products in Food Packaging Materials;

　　GB 9688-1988 Standard for the Use of Polypropylene Molded Products in Food Packaging Materials;

　　GB 13113-1994 Hygienic Standard for Polyethylene Terephthalate Molded Products Used in Food Containers and Packaging Materials.