Plastic cup products must comply with the *National Food Safety Standard for Plastic Materials and Articles Intended to Come into Contact with Food* (GB 4806.7-2016) and the *Plastic Drinking Cups* standard (QB/T 4049-2021). GB 4806.7-2016 specifies food safety performance indicators for plastic articles intended for food contact, covering sensory requirements, overall migration, potassium permanganate consumption, heavy metals (calculated as Pb), discoloration tests, and specific migration limits. QB/T 4049-2021 outlines requirements regarding appearance, odor, capacity deviation, sealing performance, impact resistance, low-temperature resistance, heat resistance, and functional performance. Common non-compliance issues center on sealing performance and impact resistance; products failing sealing tests often leak, posing a risk of scalding during use, while those failing impact resistance tests are prone to cracking or breaking when dropped.
Results from a 2025 supervisory spot check of plastic cups in the Hainan circulation market revealed a non-compliance rate of 31.25%, primarily due to irregular labeling. A 2026 comparative test by the Shanghai Consumer Council indicated that some cups marketed as "degradable" failed to fully degrade because they contained non-degradable polypropylene (PP) plastic. The test also found that "Huilin" brand disposable Kung Fu tea cups contained residues of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol exceeding national standard limits.
Given the rapid evolution of raw materials and the constant emergence of new technologies, industry experts widely call for standards to be updated in tandem with technological advancements to enhance regulatory effectiveness. Experts emphasize the need to accelerate standard updates and strengthen government oversight to foster the industry's healthy development.
