China Fights Electronic Pollution
by Beijing Morning Post
6 March 2003 –
On July 1, China will implement new measures aimed at reducing six harmful substances found in electronic goods: mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, PBB, and PBDE. Subsequently, in July 2006, these substances will be banned.
Draft regulations to enforce the new guidance are still under consideration. The ban will likely affect products such as communications equipment, computers, computer accessories, meters, and electronic instruments.
According to officials in the Ministry of Information Industry, poisonous and harmful substances in electronic goods need to be gradually phased out and replaced by non-toxic substances. As examples of products affected by the proposed ban, an official cited picture tubes and printed circuit boards, which contain lead. He also said that mercury is found in liquid crystal displays and disk drives, and that cadmium can be found in semiconductors, batteries, and circuit boards. Hazardous substances in discarded electronic goods can seep into the soil and groundwater, harming human health.
Chinese officials note that the European Union, Japan, and the United States all consider regulation of these substances to be an urgent matter. On February 13, the European Union passed two orders restricting these same six hazardous substances in electronic goods. Parallel to China, the EU will completely ban the substances staring in July 2006.
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