〈全球環保時事〉彙整頁面 - Page 30 of 37

Non-governmental environmental organizations are urging RoHS drafters to adhere to the revisions to Annex III.

Environmental NGOs Greenpeace and ChemSec jointly wrote a letter to relevant officials in the European Parliament, urging them to ensure that the RoHS Directive achieves its goal of significantly reducing toxic substances and materials, particularly brominated and chlorinated flame retardants and PVC used in electrical and electronic products. The European Parliament's Environment Committee voted to add these substances to the priority list, establishing a standard approach that includes further restrictions outside the EU. Electronic waste is the world's fastest-growing type of waste, and products containing brominated and chlorinated flame retardants and PVC release particularly harmful brominated and chlorinated dioxins and furans. These substances can cause cancer, damage the nervous and immune systems, cause birth defects, damage the reproductive system, and cause developmental disorders in children. Scientists are calling for public attention to these two types of flame retardants, a clear preventative measure taken by the EU. Environmental organizations and industry have provided sufficient evidence to justify the immediate restriction of the use of chlorinated and brominated flame retardants and PVC materials in electrical and electronic products. Major European television, computer, and mobile phone manufacturers have already stopped using these harmful substances. — Source: WTO Inspection and Quarantine Information Network

2011-02-08

The recycling of used home appliances remains uncertain; the fee standard will be announced in March this year.

The recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is once again facing the awkward situation of "all talk and no action." An industry insider told a reporter from *China Enterprise News*, "One shoe dropped two years ago regarding the implementation of the regulations on the management of WEEE recycling, but the other shoe—the standards for recycling fees, subsidies, and payment methods for the first batch of five categories of products subject to mandatory recycling—has yet to be released. This will directly affect the progress of mandatory recycling of WEEE in China." Recently, *China Enterprise News* exclusively learned from the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Working Committee of the China Resources Comprehensive Utilization Association that detailed information on the charging standards and methods for WEEE will be released as early as March this year. Currently, there are still significant uncertainties regarding specific product charging standards and subsidy methods, but it is a certainty that manufacturers will pay fees based on output, while recycling and dismantling companies will need to rely on substantial subsidies to maintain normal operations. The fee schedule is expected to be announced as early as March. Starting January 1st this year, the state officially implemented mandatory recycling for five types of products: color TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, and computers. According to relevant regulations and supporting measures previously issued by the State Council, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, manufacturers of these five types of products will pay recycling fees, and corresponding recycling and dismantling companies will receive a certain percentage.

2011-02-08

The EU's carbon dioxide emissions trading mechanism has stalled.

To mitigate global warming and control greenhouse gas emissions, the European Union mandates that power plants and industrial equipment emitting carbon dioxide must pay carbon dioxide emission fees. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is the world's largest carbon emissions trading mechanism, generating €90 billion annually in carbon dioxide emissions trading revenue. The EU stated that carbon dioxide trading will continue until January 26, 2011, and the allocation and transfer provisions of pollution laws will remain in effect. Following the decision of the Paris carbon dioxide exchange BlueNext to terminate trading, the Czech Republic, Greece, Iceland, Poland, and Austria have already stopped carbon dioxide emissions trading. A report on the European Community Greenhouse Emissions Authorizations (EUAs) indicates that Czech companies are emitting excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, effectively stealing €6.7 million. Member states that reduce production or upgrade equipment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions can sell emission credits to companies exceeding emission limits. These emission credits will be reduced in the future, thus achieving the goal of reducing carbon dioxide production. (Source: Bureau of Foreign Trade)

2011-02-08

Frequent volcanic eruptions prompt Indonesia to develop geothermal power generation.

Indonesia faces a power shortage crisis, with over one-third of its population suffering from daily power outages. Even five-star hotels need to generate their own electricity to operate. Recently, frequent volcanic eruptions in Indonesia have prompted Indonesians to consider using geothermal energy from volcanoes as a free energy source to create new electricity. A manager at a volcanic power plant explained, "We will utilize the available heat energy to boil the boilers, operating solely on the Earth's own energy." Simply put, if the energy from Indonesia's frequently erupting volcanoes can be properly converted into geothermal power generation, it could not only solve the power shortage problem for 30% of the country's population but also avoid additional environmental pollution. A hotel manager stated, "Normally, a typical hotel spends 20% of its profits on electricity; now we only need to spend 10%, all of which is due to the new energy source." Now, with five-star hotels collaborating with volcanic power plants, the power shortage problem has finally been solved. Building on the success of high-end hotels, the Indonesian government hopes to expand the development and utilization of volcanic power, aiming to reduce Indonesia's carbon emissions by 26% by 2020. Source: Yahoo News, TVBS

2011-02-08

Finland begins using 95-octane gasoline with a higher alcohol content.

Starting January 1st of this year, Finnish gas stations will gradually switch to 95-octane gasoline with an alcohol content of 10%, phasing out the previously used 5% alcohol content 95-octane gasoline. Some car engines are not compatible with 10% alcohol content 95-octane gasoline and must switch to the more expensive 98-octane gasoline. With the alcohol content increased to 10%, the surcharge on 95-octane gasoline has been slightly reduced, and gas stations will reflect this tax reduction in fuel prices, passing it on to consumers. 95-octane gasoline is currently the most widely used gasoline in Finland, and even with the 10% alcohol content increase, it will still be suitable for approximately 72% of vehicles. Increasing the alcohol content of 95-octane gasoline will not only reduce carbon dioxide emissions during vehicle operation but also increase the use of renewable energy. Source: Bureau of Foreign Trade

2011-02-08

Germany reduced subsidies for solar energy installations starting in July 2011.

In Germany, renewable energy generation is purchased at government-mandated subsidies, which are then passed on to all electricity consumers through the electricity price structure. This year, renewable energy subsidies have reached €13.5 billion. Many power companies raised electricity prices at the beginning of the year. To prevent future price increases from spiraling out of control, the German government decided to significantly reduce subsidies for solar power installations starting in July 2011, with a maximum reduction of 15%. A further 9% reduction is possible in 2012, bringing the maximum reduction to 24% within a year, lowering the price of solar photovoltaic power to €0.2184 per kilowatt. The market reaction to this news was mixed. Shares of companies like SMA Solar, Phoenix, Centrotherm, and Solarword rose, but shares of major players such as Conergy, Q-Cells, and Roth & Rau fell. The German Federal Association for Energy and Water (BDEW) welcomed the move, believing it would help slow competition from foreign suppliers entering the German market. According to previous estimates by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany's solar power generation capacity could reach a maximum of 5,000 MW in 2010, but the actual generation reached 17,000 MW, exceeding expectations. Minister Dr. Norbert Röttgen stated that the successful development of solar photovoltaic technology in Germany proves the immense potential of renewable energy, but timely policy adjustments are necessary to prevent runaway electricity price increases. Source: International Trade Office

2011-02-08

4kg of garbage can be exchanged for 1kg of fruits and vegetables: Brazil's "greenest city"

Curitiba, Brazil, boasts numerous lush forests and is also known as the city with the highest recycling rate in the world. The local government implemented a "trash for food" program, where residents can exchange 4 kilograms of trash for 1 kilogram of fruits and vegetables by collecting and recycling it. To earn free food, locals have gradually developed the habit of sorting and recycling their trash. The biggest contributors to this high recycling rate are the ordinary citizens. Thousands of people push carts along the streets every day, collecting and storing trash. Project manager Vincent stated, "As long as these people are willing, we will continue this program. It not only helps keep the city clean but also helps them have food on their tables." Ensuring residents' food security, cleaning the city, and reducing government spending on low-income households seems like a win-win situation; trash can be turned into gold. However, the Brazilian government never anticipated this problem: because residents can exchange trash for food or sell it to private recycling companies for cash, newly built public housing units on the city's outskirts, costing $23,000 per household, have become storage warehouses for low-income residents' trash. To prevent pollution of nearby rivers, the government strongly encouraged residents to participate and even helped build waste storage facilities. Currently, there are 10 recycling warehouses available for public use, aiming to transform waste from a symbol of filth and pollution into a synonym for resource recycling. – Source: TVBS

2011-02-08

Walmart's green sourcing benefits tech companies

Walmart, the world's largest retailer, will officially launch its "Green Sourcing" program next year. Products from up to one million suppliers will be required to obtain carbon footprint emission certifications before being placed on shelves. Major manufacturers that have already obtained certification, such as TSMC, UMC, AU Optronics, Chi Mei Optoelectronics, and ASUS, have essentially secured their "green sourcing ticket" with Walmart and will begin to reap the benefits. For example, TSMC, with annual revenue of NT$400 billion, half of which comes from the US market, will have a strong guarantee for entering the US and even global markets next year with carbon footprint certification. Meanwhile, with rising global consumer awareness of environmental protection, purchasing green products has become a trend, and low-carbon electronics are undoubtedly the future trend. Walmart responded to environmental protection by using labels to show its love for the planet. It announced its Green Sourcing program in July 2009 and officially implemented it in 2011. Until 2015, all products on the shelves must be labeled with carbon footprint emission information; otherwise, they will not be allowed to be sold. Walmart has over 100,000 suppliers, and each supplier may have dozens of contract manufacturers and distributors, potentially affecting millions of suppliers worldwide. TSMC, UMC, AU Optronics, Chi Mei Optoelectronics, and ASUS were among the first major domestic manufacturers to offer carbon footprint product certification. System giants like Compal and Quanta, which manufacture for Dell and HP, have also established green departments to address this issue. iST and ICT are domestic carbon footprint testing hardware and software providers; these are all representative stocks in the carbon footprint concept. Industry insiders explain that carbon footprint labeling is similar to calorie labeling on food; the fewer calories, the better.

2011-02-08

Germany attaches great importance to hydropower machinery

Advantages of Hydropower. Hydropower technology is highly mature and, compared to thermal power, is not affected by greenhouse gas emissions or rising oil prices. Small hydropower plants are also widely accepted. Furthermore, hydropower efficiency reaches 85%, superior to the 20% and 40% of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, respectively. Hydropower plants also offer numerous other functions, such as flood control, navigation, agricultural irrigation, and leisure tourism. Rising energy prices and climate change will make hydropower a winner. Due to climate change, increasing global energy consumption, and the gradual depletion of oil reserves, electricity prices are rising, and hydropower is expected to gain more attention. German economists predict that electricity prices in European countries will rise by an average of 4% annually by 2030. In addition, economic development will drive up oil prices and increase public works spending, forcing countries to readjust their environmental and climate change policies, which will benefit the development of hydropower. The Single European Electricity Market is gradually taking shape in the European Union. Since the late 1990s, establishing a single electricity market has been a key EU policy. Major infrastructure development has been underway, including the expansion of interconnection points between national border power grids, the completion of the North See Ring wind farm, and the expansion of high-voltage transmission networks. As a result, electricity market isolation issues in remote areas such as Scandinavia and Southeast Europe will be alleviated.

2011-02-08

The 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP-16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Cancun, Mexico, from November 29 to December 10, 2010. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its sincere gratitude to our allies for their letter to Ms. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Secretariat, prior to the conference, and for their remarks at the high-level meeting of COP16 supporting Taiwan's participation in the UFCCC. In their letter to Executive Secretary Figueres and in their remarks at the Cancun conference, our allies emphasized that a global response to climate change must ensure a context of comprehensive participation, and that climate change requires immediate global action from all countries. In view of Taiwan's economic and technological strength, particularly its contributions to international cooperation in human development and to addressing climate change, we urge representatives of all countries to agree to invite Taiwan to participate in the UFCCC process discussions. The friendly nations that sent this letter supporting my participation in the UNFCCC include: Palau, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, the Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, El Salvador, Burkina Faso, São Tomé and Príncipe, Swaziland, and Gambia (13 countries in total). Furthermore, the friendly nations that spoke on my behalf at the Cancun High-Level Conference include: Palau, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Belize, the Solomon Islands, Panama, Gambia, the Marshall Islands, and Nicaragua (9 countries in total). Striving for meaningful participation in the UNFCCC is a set policy of my government, and I am willing to actively contribute my efforts to addressing global climate change.

2011-02-08

Belgium's paper industry will be the first to implement environmental certification.

The Belgian paper industry guarantees that the timber used in its paper products and cardboard boxes is legally harvested in compliance with environmental regulations. After a year and a half of negotiations, the Belgian paper industry union, Cobelpa, recently reached this agreement with relevant industry players, aiming to demonstrate in a completely transparent manner that Belgian-made paper and cardboard products never use environmentally unfriendly wood raw materials. Cobelpa stated that EU regulations will not be required to be implemented by member states until 2013, making Belgium the only European country to implement them ahead of schedule. Cobelpa pointed out that businesses have reported an increasing number of printing plants using "certified" paper, meaning paper traceable by PEFC or FSC agencies, proving that the wood fiber or recycled paper pulp source meets environmental requirements. Its aim is to prevent illegal logging that damages valuable forest biodiversity and ecological reserves. The Belgian paper industry produces 2 million tons of paper annually, with a total output value of approximately €2 billion, employing over 4,000 people. Currently, the Belgian paper industry consumes 2.9 million cubic feet of wood annually, mostly imported from France and Germany. Pulp is also used, with half coming from Europe, North America, and Latin America. Some sources violate environmental regulations, such as the felling of large amounts of forest for the cultivation of genetically modified agricultural products; Indonesia, for example, has done so extensively, thus placing it on the red list of countries. Source: Bureau of International Trade

2011-02-08

EU advisors comment on sustainable labeling scheme for consumer goods.

On December 14, 2010, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) conducted an opinion survey among EU institutions and published its opinion on fair trade and sustainable labelling schemes for consumer goods. The report encouraged the EU to increase regulatory and resource-based labelling schemes to strengthen fair trade and other consumer labelling initiatives. The EESC's opinion was based on the European Commission's communication on "Promoting Sustainable Development," in which the Commission encouraged the promotion of consumer labelling schemes, at least to give consumers more choices, but also stated that the proliferation of various labeling systems could increase consumer confusion, and the negative impact of these schemes could cause these labels to lose their credibility. http://eescmembers.eesc.europa.eu/EESCMembers.aspx?culture=en – Source: European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

2011-02-08

Finland completes biofuel plant in Singapore

Neste, a Finnish company, has successfully completed the construction of the world's largest biofuel plant in Singapore. The total construction cost was €550 million, and it is expected to be fully operational in 2011, producing biodiesel using palm oil and animal fats. Neste states that its biodiesel is of excellent quality, performs well even at low temperatures, is suitable for all diesel engines, can be blended with other petrochemical diesels, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40-80%. The Singapore biofuel plant has an annual capacity of 800,000 metric tons and will employ approximately 120 people. Neste's other biofuel plant in Rotterdam, Netherlands, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2011. The use of palm oil to produce bioenergy remains controversial. Environmentalists oppose it primarily because planting palm trees requires the extensive deforestation of rainforests, which will have a profound impact on the ecosystem. Neste emphasizes that all palm trees used in the future will come from environmentally compliant forests. –Source: Foreign Trade Bureau

2011-02-08

German company BfR has warned the public to be aware of formaldehyde in hair products.

On December 3, 2010, the German Federal Institute for Risk Research (BfR) recommended a regulatory crackdown on hair products containing high concentrations of formaldehyde. BfR research indicates that a free formaldehyde concentration of 1.7% to 1.8% in these hair products may pose a health risk. Formaldehyde is a strong irritant to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Furthermore, it can cause allergies and, in severe cases, shock. BfR classifies it as a human carcinogen. Recent scientific discussions suggest a possible link between formaldehyde and leukemia. BfR recommends a safe level of 0.1 ppm for formaldehyde in indoor air. The EU prohibits the use of formaldehyde in hair products. However, an increasing number of consumers and hairdressers are importing hair products, such as those for straightening hair, directly or online, significantly increasing the risk of formaldehyde exposure. It is understood that within the EU, formaldehyde is only approved for use as an active ingredient in nail polish, with a maximum usage of 5%; in cosmetics, its usage as a preservative is limited to 0.2%, and any content of 0.05% must be labeled. However, tests on hair straightening products found formaldehyde levels of 1.7% to 1.8%. The BfR recommends that federal state authorities immediately take appropriate measures to inspect, such as testing hair products containing formaldehyde, and advising consumers against using such products. Source: WTO Inspection and Quarantine Information Network

2011-02-08

New policies aimed at reducing passenger vehicle fuel consumption by 20% will be released next month.

According to this newspaper, the "Passenger Vehicle Fuel Consumption Limits" (Phase III Standard) will be released in December and implemented starting in 2011. Unlike the previous two phases, the Phase III standard will include all models under a single automaker in the assessment scope. The fuel consumption limit of the new standard will be 20% lower than that of the second phase, and by 2015, the national average fuel consumption of passenger vehicles will be reduced to around 7 liters per 100 kilometers. The new standard will propose a gradual target, but will be strictly implemented from 2015 onwards. Since the beginning of this year, there has been increasing demand for reducing passenger vehicle fuel consumption to encourage manufacturers to produce low-displacement compact cars with lower fuel consumption. Compliance with the new policy will affect the profitability of companies. It is understood that while the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology was discussing the draft of the "Evaluation Methods and Indicators for Phase III Passenger Vehicle Fuel Consumption," research on supporting fiscal and tax policies linked to the standard has already begun. Automakers that fail to meet the standards will face tax penalties, while those that exceed the standards will enjoy a reduction in tax rates. Furthermore, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that after implementing the first and second phases of fuel consumption limits, more than 800 vehicle models that did not meet the limits had been discontinued by last year. Jin Yuefu, one of the main drafters of the "Passenger Vehicle Fuel Consumption Limits" (Phase III standard) and deputy chief engineer of the Standardization Institute of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, stated that the Phase III limits have been drafted, but it is "unlikely" that they will be officially implemented next year because "currently no company fully meets the standards." The "Phase III fuel consumption limits" are based on the US Corporate Average Fuel Economy Act, which sets limits on the fuel consumption of vehicles produced by automakers.

2011-02-08

The energy conservation and environmental protection industry plan will focus on supporting six key areas.

The "Development Plan for the Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Industry," jointly compiled by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, has been basically completed and will be submitted to the State Council soon. Energy conservation and environmental protection have been listed as the top priority among the seven strategic emerging industries. The plan will focus on supporting six key areas: high-efficiency energy-saving technologies and equipment, high-efficiency energy-saving products, energy-saving service industry, advanced environmental protection technologies and equipment, and environmental protection products and services, providing policy support in areas such as finance, taxation, and banking. Specifically, in the energy conservation industry, the focus is on three aspects: First, developing high-efficiency energy-saving technologies and equipment, including boilers and kilns, motors and drive equipment, waste heat and pressure utilization equipment, and energy-saving monitoring technologies and equipment. The key focus is on demonstrating and promoting rare-earth permanent magnet coreless motors and new cogeneration centralized heating technologies based on absorption heat exchange. Second, developing high-efficiency energy-saving products, including household and commercial appliances, lighting products, building materials, and automobiles. The focus is on researching and demonstrating new energy-saving vehicles and supporting systems with independent intellectual property rights, and promoting high-efficiency energy-saving products with energy efficiency levels 1 and 2. Third, developing the energy-saving service industry, promoting energy-saving service companies to provide energy-consuming units with "one-stop" services such as energy-saving diagnosis, design, financing, renovation, and operation, and a market-oriented energy-saving service model that recovers investment through energy-saving benefit sharing. In the environmental protection industry, the focus is on three aspects: First, developing advanced environmental protection technologies and equipment, including wastewater and waste treatment, desulfurization and denitrification, high-concentration organic wastewater treatment, soil remediation, and monitoring equipment. The key focus is on overcoming challenges in membrane bioreactors, denitrification and phosphorus removal, lake cyanobacteria treatment, and sludge harmless treatment technologies and equipment.

2011-02-08

The US releases its first set of industrial emissions reduction guidelines to regulate greenhouse gases.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a greenhouse gas emissions reduction framework on January 10 to help industries comply with new emissions standards that will take effect early next year. This is the first set of industrial emissions reduction frameworks in U.S. history. The EPA released emissions standards for automobiles earlier this year; now it's the turn of "stationary" facilities, namely power plants, refineries, and factories. The framework aims to help large industries such as power plants and steel mills find the best ways to reduce pollutants in order to meet the stricter regulations that will take effect on January 2, 2011. The new framework focuses on proactive "emissions reduction efficiency," rather than passively "capturing" carbon after emissions occur. Furthermore, the EPA believes that carbon capture technology is not yet well-developed, too expensive, and detrimental to industry. The new framework includes measures such as: refineries should replace dirty fuels with cleaner fuels, and power plants should improve electricity and energy efficiency. Starting January 2, major emitters must report to their state governments how they will reduce emissions when building new facilities and how they can reduce emissions when upgrading existing facilities. EPA officials stated that for the past 30 years, whenever a new policy was introduced, the EPA would publish guidelines under the Clean Air Act to assist industry, and this time is no exception, therefore it's not a major breakthrough. Republicans, however, oppose the Obama administration's implementation of new standards to control greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that the US economy is still recovering and such measures would harm businesses. – Source: Lianhe Wanbao

2011-02-08

Environmental design proposals for various types of imaging equipment have been released.

The European Commission is considering policy options for various energy-consuming and energy-related products, including imaging equipment such as DVD players and VCRs, projectors, and video game consoles. The EU has commissioned the UK-based consultancy AEA to conduct a study on imaging equipment, and they are currently assessing industry feedback. The Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC) is a general directive, meaning that binding ecodesign regulations are established through implementation measures for each product group. The directive itself only specifies the conditions and criteria for how to develop implementation measures for various energy-consuming and energy-related products. If the industry does not have a self-regulatory plan, the EU will consider developing implementation measures. The European Commission believes that energy efficiency is a particularly effective area for voluntary regulatory schemes. The industry has already implemented three voluntary regulatory schemes: the first covers the energy consumption of televisions, VCRs, and DVD players in standby mode; the second concerns household washing machines; and the third concerns refrigerators and freezers. In addition to considering the standby energy consumption of DVD players and VCRs, projectors, and video game consoles, the European Commission must also explore other environmentally friendly design elements for these products, such as market characteristics, potential for technological or economic improvement, existing relevant legislation, industry self-regulation standards, and the need for new standards. The Commission will use the information gathered to assess the impact of policy proposals and draft consultation documents. No decision has yet been made on whether further voluntary regulatory agreements or binding measures are needed for these product categories. June 1, 2010

2010-10-12

China has surpassed the United States to become the fastest-growing country in wind power generation.

The United States has seen rapid growth in wind power generation in recent years, but China's development in this area is not far behind. Data from a report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy shows that China has slightly surpassed the United States to become the world's fastest-growing country in wind power generation; in terms of wind power growth rate in 2009, China's newly built wind power projects accounted for 36%, while the United States only saw 26%. Although the growth rate of the United States is slightly lower, its total wind power capacity still ranked first in the world at the end of 2009, reaching 35,000 megawatts; China's was approximately 25,853 megawatts; followed by Germany with 25,813 megawatts. The report points out that changes in the wind power market are difficult to track due to the conflicting forces of economic recession and generous government policies. Furthermore, low natural gas prices have led to lower wholesale electricity prices, harming wind power development. The Department of Energy also warns that electricity price competition will continue for some time, especially given that many large oil companies are actively seeking to develop shale gas globally; therefore, even if the economy recovers in the future, natural gas prices are unlikely to rise. Wind power development costs also rose in 2009, averaging $2,120 per kilowatt. This increased cost made wind power less attractive than other power generation methods. Of course, wind power development costs may decrease in the future. More and more companies in the United States are manufacturing wind turbine components.

2010-10-12

The Regulations on the Management of Recycling and Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products will be officially implemented.

Starting January 1st next year, China's "Regulations on the Management of Recycling and Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products" will officially come into effect, benefiting companies with large-scale, modern waste appliance recycling and disposal operations. According to the "Catalogue of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products," televisions, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, and microcomputers will be among the first products to be formally recycled and dismantled according to national standards. These five categories of products listed in the first batch are the same five categories that received a 10% subsidy under the previous national "trade-in" policy. The promulgation of these regulations clearly standardizes the recycling and dismantling of a large number of waste electrical and electronic products currently on the market, guiding it towards large-scale, industrialized development. This means that the formal recycling and dismantling of these five categories of appliances will become mandatory. Recycling companies will not only have a sufficient supply of raw materials but will also receive national tax incentives. This will be a significant benefit for companies that have entered the environmental protection business early on, representing large-scale, modern, and standardized waste appliance recycling projects. Looking at the current state of waste appliance recycling and reuse in China, the overall level needs improvement. In the past, most end-of-life home appliances were dismantled and processed by small and medium-sized enterprises or even small workshops, which was not only polluting but also inefficient. The market's upgrading and transformation urgently requires the emergence of large-scale, modern home appliance waste processing companies. Currently, China's domestic home appliance market has entered its peak period of obsolescence. According to authoritative data, in 2009, the five major categories of home appliances—televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and computers—experienced significant increases in obsolescence.

2010-10-12