From May 19th to 21st, 2009, the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Energy held the 2009 Working Group Meeting on Standards for Pollution Prevention and Control of Electronic Information Products in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. The meeting summarized the work of the working group in 2008 and planned the tasks for 2009. More than 80 representatives from the 65 member units of the working group attended the meeting. Yang Tiesheng, Deputy Director of the Department of Energy Conservation, addressed the meeting and put forward several requirements for the work on standards for pollution prevention and control of electronic information products.
– Reference source: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, May 31, 2009. The main tasks of the Pollution Prevention and Control Standards Working Group in 2009 were to continue improving the pollution control standard system for electronic information products, focusing on standardization research and standard project preparation in areas such as the substitution of six toxic and hazardous substances in electronic information products, the development and application of new materials, and eco-design; to cooperate with the Energy Conservation Department to accelerate the research on pollution control certification models for electronic information products and the formulation of the "Key Management Catalogue for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products"; to actively carry out standardization support work for legislation on pollution control of electronic and electrical products and the recycling, treatment, and comprehensive utilization of waste electrical and electronic products; and to continue tracking and researching the progress of international ecological and environmental regulations and standards. In 2008, the Pollution Prevention and Control Standards Working Group actively promoted the drafting of standards such as the "General Rules for Environmentally Friendly Use Periods" and initiated the project establishment and research work for standards such as the "Requirements for Pollution Control Labeling of Electronic and Electrical Products," the "General Requirements for Process Management of Pollution Control of Electronic and Electrical Products," and the "Risk Assessment Guidelines for the Presence of Substances of High Concern in Electronic and Electrical Products." Following the Ministry's requirements, the Pollution Prevention and Control Standards Working Group conscientiously implemented the "Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products," resolutely, steadily, and gradually advancing the work of pollution control for electronic information products, and solidly promoting the standardization of pollution control for electronic information products. Over the past year, the working group focused on conducting research on standardization in this field, developing a standard system for pollution control of electronic information products, actively tracking and participating in international standardization of environmental and system aspects of electrical and electronic products, actively coordinating the development of relevant national standards, and focusing on standard research in the areas of substitution of toxic and hazardous substances in electronic information products and clean production process control. It also actively tracked and carefully studied the revisions of the EU RoHS and WEEE directives and the activities of IEC/TC111. Han Jun, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry, also attended the meeting and delivered a speech. He fully affirmed the standardization work on pollution prevention and control of electronic information products, and required that the standard development in 2009 should focus on the key points of industrial development, promote industrial development through the development of pollution prevention and control standards, carefully study international standards, further strengthen standard coordination, and promote the development of a standardization talent pool. Third, in the process of standard planning and formulation, we should attach importance to the active participation of relevant enterprises, pay attention to coordinating the overlapping and contradictory issues that arise during the standard formulation process, strengthen cooperation with other standard organizations, and ensure that the formulation and revision are planned according to the field and focus on the requirements of the standard system. We should coordinate with other working groups, strive for the support of relevant departments, consult and report more frequently, and conduct extensive exchanges and coordination to promote progress. We should make careful arrangements for the work of the Electronic Information Product Pollution Control Standard Working Group for the next year, clarify the standardization tasks in response to the upcoming "Regulations on the Management of Recycling and Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products," and formulate relevant technical specifications. In accordance with the concept of extended producer responsibility, we should study the responsibilities and standardization issues of electrical and electronic product producers in the recycling and disposal process of waste electrical and electronic products. Second, we should closely track the progress of international standards. We should participate substantially and further strengthen our voice in standard formulation, and promote China's pollution prevention and control work. China RoHS and EU RoHS have similarities, but also have their own characteristics. The working group should continuously pay attention to the adjustments of EU RoHS, learn from its experience, track the development of its standards, and strengthen cooperation and exchanges. First, we should continue to promote the work of electronic information product pollution control. We should implement the ideas, models, and tasks of the "Measures for the Management of Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products," and carry out the work actively and steadily. In accordance with the Ministry's responsibilities regarding the formulation of plans, policies, and standards, we will continue to actively and steadily carry out standardization work on pollution control of electronic information products, further define the working approach for promoting standardization of pollution control in the electronics and electrical fields, improve the standard system, clarify the direction and work priorities, and systematically carry out standardization projects for substitute products for six hazardous substances to promote the development of the entire industry.
