China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued an announcement titled "Management Requirements for Hazardous Substances and Recyclability of Automobiles." Effective January 1, 2016, the announcement mandates management of the use of hazardous substances and recyclability in passenger vehicles (Category M1) with no more than nine seats. It also requires automobile manufacturers to provide a "Vehicle Dismantling Guidance Manual" to recycling and dismantling companies within six months of receiving the new product's announcement, through appropriate channels and methods. Manufacturers failing to provide the required materials and information will be ordered to rectify the situation within a specified period, or their names will be published.
The specific requirements for the management of hazardous substances and recyclability in automobiles are as follows:
I. As the main responsible parties for pollution control, automobile manufacturers should actively carry out eco-design, follow the design principles of easy disassembly and recyclability, adopt reasonable structural and functional designs, select non-toxic or low-toxic and low-harm green and environmentally friendly materials and components that are easy to disassemble and utilize, apply green manufacturing technologies with high resource utilization efficiency, low environmental pollution and easy recycling, actively build a green supply chain, control the use of hazardous substances throughout the entire industrial chain, and implement material labeling requirements.
2.automotive parts and materials suppliers at all levels should provide accurate information on the materials and hazardous substances used in their products to facilitate automotive manufacturers' tracking and analysis of hazardous substances and recyclability in automobiles.
3. Starting from January 1, 2016, management will be implemented on the use and recyclability of hazardous substances in passenger vehicles (M1 category) with a total number of seats not exceeding nine.
(i) The use of hazardous substances and the calculation methods for recyclability of new products shall comply with the requirements of the national standards "Requirements for Prohibited Substances in Automobiles" and "Calculation Methods for Reusability and Recyclability of Road Vehicles," and shall be included in the "Announcement of Vehicle Manufacturers and Products" (hereinafter referred to as the "Announcement"). Implementation will be postponed for 24 months after the production of new vehicles.
(II) Automobile manufacturers shall submit an "Information Form on Hazardous Substances in Automobiles" when applying for a new product "Announcement," and within six months of obtaining the "Announcement," provide a "Guide to Automobile Dismantling" to recycling and dismantling enterprises through appropriate channels and methods. Those who fail to provide the above materials and information as required shall be ordered to rectify the situation within a specified period, or their names shall be published.
(III) The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shall, in accordance with the current status and development level of the industry, expand the scope of product categories in a timely and gradual manner.
4.The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology publishes an annual report on the green development of the automotive industry, which publishes information on the use of hazardous substances in automobiles and their recyclability, and summarizes and evaluates the institutional development and green supply chain management of automobile manufacturers.
Sources:Central Daily News Online (2015-06-14)
