China To Set "Environment Friendly" Electronics Standards
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.18.06
The China “Peoples Daily Online” reports that the Chinese government is setting “environment-friendly standards” for electronics and appliances. “Starting July this year, the European Union (EU) will close its door to electronic products containing certain poisonous materials. "That would be a hard blow to Chinese manufacturers," said the official who asked not be identified”. Translation: the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive of the European Union comes into force this summer, requiring electronic goods and appliances sold in the EU to be made with strong limits on use of lead (Pb), Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent chromium, PBBs, and PBDEs. Chinese manufacturers either overlooked, or were late in redesigning, products made for export. Consequently: “China has enacted its first set of regulations controlling pollution caused by electronic products. The regulations, to take effect on March 1 next year, demand that all electronic products meet environment-friendly standards”.
In a remarkable sidebar to the US drive for environmental deregulation, US citizens will have the Europeans to thank for pushing for more environment- and health-friendly designs. Except for a few states, the US has no RoHS equivalent rule; yet, all US citizens will benefit indirectly from the European foresight. Presumably, goods not safe enough for Europe will still be sold in the US until the “dirty” inventory, made in China before March 1 of 2007, runs out. By no later than that date, however, exposure to hazardous materials will go down worldwide, as it will be unpractical to manufacture with two separate classes of components.
"exposure to hazardous materials will go down worldwide, as it will be unpractical to manufacture with two separate classes of components."
While I applaud the action. The reason for the action has absolutely Nothing to do with China wanting to be a more enviromently friendly manufacturing country. Rather it has Everything to do with the last sentence of this article and their customers (Europe's demand) on the product!
==== author's response follows =====
And one can make a parallel between the strategy of China and of it's largest customer. Will be interesting to see if "anti-dumping" charges are filed with Dept of Commerce if Chinese firms need to get rid of a pile of electronics of the non-compliant designs.