Electronic product pollution control will be in line with international standards

"The “Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products” is expected to be issued in the second half of this year and will be officially implemented in the second half of next year.” A few days ago, the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that the "Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electronic and Electric Products" had been publicized online and solicited. Several steps, including comments and public consultations, have been reviewed by the World Trade Organization and are currently undergoing corresponding changes. It is understood that in 2010 the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology formally initiated the revision of the "Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products." Compared with the previous "Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products," the forthcoming "Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products" will strive to be in line with international standards, regardless of its name, scope of control or corresponding supporting standards and certification procedures.

Expanding product control range China is a major producer of electrical and electronic products. With the continuous upgrading of household electrical appliances in China, a large number of eliminated electrical and electronic products will follow. These waste electrical and electronic products, commonly known as "e-waste," contain mercury, lead, arsenic, chromium, polymeric brominated biphenyls, and other toxic and hazardous substances. Once poorly disposed, they will cause environmental pollution.

In order to achieve green manufacturing and clean production in the electronic information industry, the "Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products" was promulgated in February 2006 and implemented on March 1, 2007. Because it is similar to the EU Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS Directive), which was implemented on July 1, 2006, it restricts the use of lead and mercury in newly released electronic and electrical equipment products. Six kinds of harmful substances, such as cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, have been referred to by the industry as "China's version of RoHS."

"However, the "Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products" is not in line with the international standards." Huang Jianzhong, director of the Resources Comprehensive Utilization Division of the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that China is a major producer and exporter of electrical and electronic products, but The pollution control work carried out in the field is currently limited to the scope of electronic information products. It neither meets the needs of energy-saving and emission-reduction work in the field of electronic and electrical products, nor can it be linked to the international control of harmful substances in the electrical and electronic fields. Therefore, in response to the actual situation in China and in order to better align with the international standards, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology formally initiated the revision of the “Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products” in 2010. “The biggest difference in the newly revised management approach is to expand the scope of control and increase electrical and electrical products.” Huang Jianzhong said that the newly revised management measures will further expand the scope of control, extending from electronic information products to electronic and electrical products, ie, operating voltage In the 1500 volts direct current and 1000 volts alternating current equipment and ancillary products, electrical and electronic products have been added as control objects.

Management directory highlights "green"

The "Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products" stipulates that the pollution control of electronic and electrical products is mainly divided into two steps: The first step is that electronic and electrical information products entering the Chinese market should be "self-declared" and harmful substances in products. Make corresponding annotations; in the second step, strive to reduce the substitution of harmful substances, and successively list “products that are technically mature and economically viable” into the “Key Management Catalogue for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products”, and strictly limit the use of such products. Poisonous and harmful substances.

Huang Jianzhong said that after the "Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products" was promulgated, the "Cimple Control List for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products" will be renamed "Catalogue of Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products", which will be a "green product catalogue". According to the actual situation of the substitution and reduction of harmful substances in electronic information products by enterprises, the principle of “technically mature, economically viable” and “mature one and put into one” will be formulated.

Huang Jianzhong disclosed that the first catalogue will be locked in mobile user terminals, telephones (including fixed telephone terminals, cordless telephone terminals) and printing equipment connected to computers, etc. This batch of products has basically been replaced by harmful substances.

It is reported that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has decided to set up an expert advisory committee on the key management directories for pollution control of electronic information products. Its task is to evaluate technical, economic, and product compulsory certification for products that are intended to enter key management of electronic information product pollution control. "The principle of the whole work is to implement it step by step and advance it step by step." Huang Jianzhong said: First, all products must be "self-declared", and efforts must be made to replace harmful substances.

In addition, there will be significant changes in product certification. Prior to this, products that entered the management catalog had to undergo national mandatory product certification, that is, 3C certification before entering the market. After the "Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products" is implemented, the certification system will be more flexible. It can be combined with voluntary and compulsory certification to recognize the existence of multiple certification methods. "Products do not necessarily have to be 3C-certified and can do something else. Qualifications can also be made with some qualified judgments or some combination of certifications."

In May 2010, the National Certification and Accreditation Administration and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the “National Uniform Implementation Opinions on the Implementation of Voluntary Certification of Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products”, which clearly stated that China will push forward the establishment of pollution control certification and supervise and manage it. For products and certified companies that meet the requirements of national pollution control voluntary certification, the National Certification and Accreditation Administration and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will seek financial and taxation departments to provide various supportive encouragement policies and strive to give priority to government procurement of this product.

When the three core standards are escorted into the "Measures for the Control of Pollution Control of Electrical and Electronic Products", the relevant supporting standards will also be unveiled. Huang Jianzhong stated that the "Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products" will mainly have three core standards, namely, "Identification and Requirements for Pollution Prevention and Control of Electrical and Electronic Products," "Methods for Detection of Restricted Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products," and "Harmful in Electrical and Electronic Products." Material Limit Requirements." Most of these standards are based on the supporting standards of the original management methods. The latter two have been revised and submitted to the National Standardization Management Committee. They will strive to rise from industry standards to national standards. In addition, there will be other supporting standards such as material declaration standards, waste product recycling standards, and environmental awareness design standards.

At the same time, there will also be inter-ministerial work coordination mechanisms in the corresponding implementation management. Similar to the "Measures for the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products," the "Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products" will also be issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs and the State. The State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine jointly carry out corresponding revisions, consultations, release and implementation.

Huang Jianzhong stated that after the "Administrative Measures on Pollution Control of Electrical and Electronic Products" was promulgated, through the inter-ministerial work coordination mechanism, various departments will manage and supervise pollution control of electronic and electrical products within their respective scope of responsibility. In addition, the corresponding incentive work will also be implemented. The “Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products” stipulates that organizations and individuals that have made outstanding achievements in the pollution control work of electronic and electrical products and related activities may be commended and rewarded, and certain Policy support.