Since the end of 2009, many manufacturers of mobile phones, landline phones, and printers have been closely monitoring the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The "Key Management Catalogue for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products (First Batch)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Catalogue") was announced on November 9th last year. The focus is on the differences between the officially released "Catalogue" and the draft for comments, and what impact the official release of the "Catalogue" will have on these three product industries.
On October 9, 2009, the draft of the "Catalogue (First Batch)" was released for public comment on the official website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China. This marked the official commencement of the second substantive step for the "Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products," often referred to as the "Chinese version of RoHS," more than two years after its implementation.
On March 1, 2007, the "Chinese version of RoHS"—the "Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products"—came into effect. According to these measures, electronic information products entering the Chinese market must make a "self-declaration" using the methods provided in the "Requirements for Pollution Control Labeling of Electronic Information Products." This was the first step in China's pollution control of electronic information products. The second step was to gradually include products that are "technologically mature and economically feasible" in the "Catalogue," strictly limiting the use of toxic and hazardous substances in these products. Furthermore, products included in this catalogue must pass 3C certification before entering the market.
The first batch of the draft catalogue, open for public comment, includes three categories of products: mobile user terminals, telephones (including fixed-line and wireless telephone terminals), and printing equipment connected to computers. The catalogue restricts the use of toxic and hazardous substances or elements such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The catalogue also includes exemptions for some substances or elements, such as lead in glass for electronic components; lead and cadmium in optical and filter glass; and lead in ceramics for electronic components. The catalogue will take effect ten months after its official release.
Huang Jianzhong, director of the Resource Comprehensive Utilization Division of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, said at the “2009 Electronic Pollution Prevention and Control Heroes Conference” that making public the formulation of the “Catalogue”, soliciting opinions from industry enterprises, and publicizing the “Catalogue” gave relevant enterprises the opportunity to participate, which reflects the principles of “openness, fairness and impartiality” in catalogue management.
According to Director Huang Jianzhong, the one-month public comment period for the "Catalogue" has ended, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is currently compiling feedback and conducting analysis. In accordance with the "Procedures for Formulating the Key Management Catalogue for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products," the next step will be to notify the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the "Catalogue (First Batch)" under WTO/TBT regulations. Only after the notification process concludes will the MIIT make a final decision on whether adjustments to the "Catalogue" are necessary.
Regarding the industry's concern about "why printers, mobile phones, and landline phones were chosen as the first batch to be included in the catalog," Huang Jianzhong believes that these three product categories already meet the requirements for inclusion in the catalog. He emphasized that products included in the catalog must be "technologically mature and economically feasible," neither of which can be lacking. Government promotion and market guidance should be closely combined, starting with the easier ones and progressing to the more difficult ones, step by step, "adding one as it matures."
The inclusion of these three product categories in the catalogue is based on three main considerations. First, manufacturers of these categories, especially mobile phone manufacturers, have repeatedly claimed to have excellent pollution control practices. This indicates that these companies are considered "mature" in pollution control, and including their products in the catalogue demonstrates their technological maturity. Second, these three product categories have large production volumes, wide consumer bases, and diverse consumer demographics. Although the types and quantities of toxic and harmful substances in these products are already relatively low, controlling pollution in these products is still very meaningful. Third, including these three product categories in the catalogue can, to some extent, regulate the market for these products, especially the mobile phone market, which can contribute to the healthy growth of major brands within these categories.
The attached document is the "Key Management Catalogue for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products (First Batch)" published on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China on October 9, 2009. Please download it from the attachment.
– Reference source: China Electronics Technology Standardization Institute, 2010-04-30, Attachment archive:Key Management Catalogue for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products - First Batch.pdf
