3 food delivery platforms sued for environmental damage

A court in Beijing has agreed to file a case brought by a non-governmental organization against China's three major takeout meal-delivery platforms.

The Green Volunteer League of Chongqing is suing Beijing Xiaodu Information Technology (operator of Baidu's food delivery app Baidu Takeout ), Shanghai Rajax Information Technology (operator of Alibaba-backed delivery platform ele.me), and Beijing Sankuai Technology (operator of Meituan), for causing environmental pollution.

The organization claims that disposable packaging used by the three delivery companies created a huge amount of waste and was damaging to ecological systems.

The companies didn't require customers to specify the type of dishware their meals were packaged in and disposable options were the default system, which the NGO considered to be a defect in their business practices.

The lawsuit has been accepted by the No 4 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing. The case notifications have also been sent to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection and the Beijing Administration of Industry and Commerce, the court said.

The Chongqing-based NGO said on its official website that it aims to protect the environment and promote the sustainable development of society. One of its major projects included the "Yangtze River Health Action" to protect the water resources, environment and biodiversity of the Yangtze and the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.