China: 80% Electronic Wastes Left Untreated

China's waste electrical and electronic products reach 200 million units a year, only less than 20% of which are recycled and treated, according to the round table between the China Economic and Social Council (CESC) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Electrical and electronic wastes contain useable metal and plastic resources as well as toxic substances. Current simple recycling and treatment of these products bring about plenty of resource wastes and seriously pollute the environment, pointed out Liu Qiang, secretary general of the China National Resources Recycling Association (CRRA).

Meanwhile, the public has little knowledge about the harm of waste electrical and electronic products, and small and medium recycling companies have a limited treatment capacity. There are no cooperation between recyclers and manufacturers, and government regulators have no effective guidances and strict restrictions on recycling.

Currently, China has 100,000 recycling companies, about 200,000 recycling stations, and more than 10,000 recycling plants. Last year, 116.1 million tons of wasted materials were recycled, worth CNY 300 billion, including scrap steel and iron, nonferrous metal scraps, tire scraps, waste household appliances, paper wastes, and end-of-life vehicles and ships.

Source: www.jfdaily.com (May 20, 2009)

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