China has upgraded its technical specification for e-waste recycling in a move to combat pollution from the nation's rapidly growing volume of discarded electronics.

A revision of the 2010 standards, the new specification took effect on March 1, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

In a recent news conference, ministry spokesperson Pei Xiaofei said the standards were revised against the backdrop of continuous growth in the volume and variety of waste electrical and electronic products in China, the world's largest manufacturer and consumer of such products.

An estimated 253 million units of major end-of-life television sets, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and computers were generated in 2023, according to the China National Resources Recycling Association, with approximately 20 percent of the collected units entering the second-hand market.

Pei said that, thanks to consistent efforts by the ministry, the country has experienced a rapid increase in the proper treatment of such waste through formal channels for dismantling, recycling and utilization.

In 2012, just over 10 million waste television sets, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and computers were dismantled in a standardized manner across the country, Pei disclosed.

By comparison, that number climbed to approximately 100 million last year, bringing the cumulative total to more than 1 billion units, he continued.

He said, thanks to the efforts, the country has recycled and properly disposed of roughly 22 million metric tons of dismantled materials.

Recognizing the rapid digitization of daily life, the updated specification has brought more electronics under regulatory control, including self-service machines, retail self-checkout machines, drones, wearable smart devices and intelligent in-vehicle devices, Pei said.

The new standards also refine the requirements for pollution control during the storage phase and dismantling process, he noted.

Under the new specification, for example, mercury-containing components and light bulbs must be removed from refrigerators prior to dismantling.

It also requires that oil-contaminated range hood parts be dismantled with oil collection equipment in place to prevent leakage.

While guiding local authorities and enterprises in implementing the latest requirements, "the ministry will continue to target illegal dismantling and disposal activities as part of the special crackdown on the illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste, with severe penalties enforced for violations such as open-air storage and noncompliant dismantling", he said.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn