The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic policy planning body, is currently circulating on its website a draft regulation on recycling old or scrap electronics, in a hope to elicit opinions from the public before it is officially enacted.

China witnessed tremendous growth in discarded scrap electronics in recent years, with about 4 million refrigerators, 5 million TV sets and 5 million washing machines being discarded annually.

The number is set to shoot up dramatically in the coming years when the bulk of electronics purchased in 1990s, during which period sales of electronics ballooned, reach their expiration date.

Containing harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, hydrargyrum and chromium, the massive amount of scrap electronics, if not properly disposed of, could pose a grave threat to the environment.

Electronic waste also contains recyclable materials such as copper and steel.

Currently, only a tiny portion of scrap electronics is being adequately handled, resulting in a huge waste of resources and environmental damage.

The unregulated market has also made China a favorable dumping field for foreign electronic refuse recently, an area the draft bill also intends to deal with.

According to the draft, consumers will be forbidden to dispose of scrap electronics themselves, rather they should bring them to electronics retailers, who will be obliged to reclaim electronic refuse and hand them to qualified firms specializing in treating them.

At a time when the national economy is putting a heavy strain on resources and the environment, the pending bill, though seemingly overdue, will help the country's efforts to seek a sustainable development path.

The introduction of the bill, which is expected to be enacted by the end of this year or early next year, also coincides with the concept of a circular economy gaining steam in the country.

Not only will the anticipated bill contribute greatly to saving the precious resources recycled from the electronic waste and protecting the environment, it will also serve as a big boost to the infant circular economy.

(China Daily October 13, 2004)