China is a vast country and this is reflected in the scale of its
production and consumption of household electrical appliances.
Ownership of television sets now stands at around 350 million,
washing machines are at 170 million and refrigerators at 130
million.
There is now an aging population of these appliances. Many date
back to the consumer boom of the middle and late 1980s. One only
has to think of a lifecycle of say 10 to 15 years in service to
understand the projection of a new peak of upgrading due in 2003.
It has been predicted that in this year alone, 5 million
televisions, 5 million washing machines and 4 million refrigerators
will be replaced. In addition, a large number of computers now face
retirement due to obsolescence. Consequently, how to cope with the
mountain of discarded electrical appliances has become really a
hard nut to crack.
Old electrical appliances are quite unlike common urban garbage.
These are complex artifacts and many contain toxic chemical
substances. Inappropriate disposal methods such as land fill or
incineration can pollute air, soil and water. In refrigerators for
example both the refrigerant and the insulation are known to damage
the ozone layer. The tubes in televisions and computer monitors
alike are unstable while the fluorescent screens themselves are
sources of mercury waste.
There is a bright side however because the glass, plastics, ferrous
and nonferrous metals they also contain are all recyclable
resources. In addition, some components do not deteriorate with
time and could offer cost savings if only effective arrangements
could be put in place for their reuse. The families owning the old
appliances should be able to share in the cost benefits of
recycling. Although upgrading of the household appliances will
become necessary, consumer standards in Chinese families have not
yet reached those of a throw-away' society and no one enjoys
throwing out a once valued possession. Recycling is set to become
an inevitable part of the process of disposal of used household
appliances. Appropriate methods of disposal will not only save
society from harm; there may even be fortunes to be made.
China has not yet set up its recycling mechanisms and
indiscriminate disposal of old worn out household appliances poses
a threat to the environment and to personal safety.
Current Practices in Disposal
Currently, retired' household appliances are dealt with in one of
three ways. Some are sold on to lead an extended working life in
rural or underdeveloped, urban areas. Some are just dumped as
garbage. Some however are offered for re-use quite inappropriately
by traders operating outside the law. They take advantage of the
average consumer's lack of technical knowledge by passing off
rough, makeshift repair jobs as professional reconditioning. They
even repackage the goods before offering them on the secondhand
market. They are just good enough to pass a try-out' at the point
of sale but they won't work well for long.
Malpractice in the manufacture, reconditioning and sale of low
quality household appliances has become widespread. Law enforcement
agencies are making good progress in bringing the perpetrators to
justice and the penalties are severe. However it has been hoped
that Central Government might soon enact legislation to promote
safe and environmentally friendly practices in the recycling of
household appliances.
Many Chinese residents are loath to discard their old electrical
appliances. They either keep using them or store them away in
bedrooms or washrooms unaware of the hidden dangers. For example,
as its components grow old and the picture and sound of the
television set deteriorate, it is tempting to give it a right good
slap; not really a safe and sound procedure for a delicate
electrical appliance. The hidden dangers of old washing machines
should also not be neglected. Aging plastic components can give
rise to water leaks and maybe even a short circuit. Altogether it's
a wise move to turn the old worn out appliance out of the home when
its time has come.
Dumped household appliances are clearly a source of long-term
pollution in the environment. At the same time, there are
environmental problems with some current methods of recycling. For
instance, some small enterprises reclaim precious metals like gold
and platinum from dumped computers using outdated methods involving
acid baths or burning. They produce significant quantities of
noxious fumes, polluted wastewater, and slag. This type of
recycling is actually responsible for polluting the
environment.
Legislating for Best Practice in Disposal
The techniques used in the recycling of household appliances and
associated legislation, are moving forward rapidly worldwide. Many
developed countries have already promulgated laws to regulate the
recycling of used electrical appliances.
The European Union set about enacting legislation to introduce
regulations on the recycling of used electrical appliances as early
as 1997. These required that recycling carried out in each of the
member states should meet prescribed standards covering such areas
as scale of operations, scientific testing, specialized disposal
methods and safe reuse.
The United States of America has clear regulations for workers
engaged in the recycling of refrigerant from used household
appliances and for the equipment used in the recycling. In addition
the USA has established recycling ratios' to promote the use of
recycled materials.
Japan introduced a policy of charging for the recycling of bulky
garbage' in 1992 and on 1 April 2001 its Law on the Recycling of
Household Electrical Appliances' took effect. These measures seek
to limit the volume of garbage to be processed. They also help
create a society that is oriented towards recycling and is
environmentally friendly.
China lags behind in this field. So far, there have been no
specific laws or regulations to standardize recycling methods for
household appliances. Similarly safe working life, means of
disposal and the responsibilities of practitioners in the field are
not currently legislated for. An early improvement in this
situation would be welcome indeed.
The China Environment Post' has recently reported that the State
Economic and Trade Commission of China (SETC) has formulated a
working plan for improving methods of recycling for household
electrical appliances.
Under the auspices of SETC, a coordination and legislation working
group has been set up with a remit to bring forward proposals for
legislation covering the management of the recycling of used
household electrical appliances.
At
the same time, an investigation is under way aimed at producing
draft guidelines on limitations on safe length of life in service,
methods employed in recycling and standards in the disposal of
household electrical appliances.
The recycling of used household appliances has an important role to
play in saving resources, reducing volumes of garbage and in
environmental protection. It is also an important component of the
economic cycle.
The central government will enact the appropriate laws and
introduce the necessary regulations to control the management of
the recycling of used household electrical appliances. These will
set standards for recycling and lay down clear responsibilities for
the relevant enterprises, marketing departments, consumers and
government departments.
The central government's policies should facilitate the smooth
operation of the processes of the recycling of household
appliances. These policies should also mitigate in favor of
recycling through financial incentives and tax breaks.
(China.org.cn translated by Zhang Tingting, July 23, 2002)