0.78 billion air conditioners, 0.55 billion color TV sets, 0.53 billion refrigerators, 0.502 billion washing machines, 0.46 billion electric water heaters... In China, household appliances are not a small number of residents. In addition to home appliances, many people have to deal with various electronic products such as mobile phones, computers, and bracelets every day. Restricting the use of harmful substances in electrical and electronic products is related to the vital interests of consumers.

A few days ago, the first mandatory national standard in the field of hazardous substances control of electrical and electronic products, "Requirements for Restrictions on the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products" (GB 26572-2025), was approved and issued by the National Standardization Administration and will be officially implemented on August 1, 2027. What are the highlights of the "new national standard"? What changes will it bring? The reporter conducted an interview.

Clear limit requirements--

Mandatory control of toxic and hazardous substances

Since giving birth to the baby, Xiang Li, who lives in Wuhan, Hubei Province, has become particularly "sensitive" to the safety and environmental protection of electrical and electronic products around him. "The baby is eager to explore and likes to touch and chew on everything he sees. The refrigerator stores food, the washing machine treats clothes, and the air conditioner adjusts the indoor temperature. These appliances are in close contact with people every day, and safety and environmental protection must be the first priority." Xiang Li said that it is very important for consumers to further upgrade the control of harmful substances in electrical and electronic products and introduce mandatory standards.

What are the specific contents of the "new national standard"? According to Wang Peng, director of the Department of Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the mandatory national standard "Requirements for Restricted Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products" (GB 26572-2025) clarifies three requirements:

Clear limit requirements. For lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and other four kinds of heavy metal elements, as well as polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, four kinds of phthalate esters and other six kinds of persistent organic pollutants, the content in electrical and electronic products put forward mandatory limit requirements, the relevant production enterprises to form effective constraints, and promote the industry to improve the level of compliance.

Clear identification requirements. Through the requirements of identification, information disclosure of hazardous substances and preservation of technical support documents, the results of hazardous substances control are traceable and verifiable. After enterprises mark information through digital technologies such as QR codes or electronic displays, consumers can quickly, comprehensively and accurately understand the information of harmful substances in products when purchasing products.

Clarify test requirements. The 10 hazardous substance test methods specified in the strong standard are consistent with the technical requirements of the corresponding international standards, promote the comprehensive integration of the control of hazardous substances in my country's electrical and electronic products with international standards, provide convenience for product import and export trade, and further consolidate and enhance China's electrical and electronic industry International competitiveness.

Why are these 10 substances? How to understand their "harm"? Fang Guangjun, deputy director of the Technology Research Center of Sinochem Environmental Innovation Research Institute, told our reporter that these harmful substances are involved in the manufacturing process of electrical and electronic products, mainly due to both process and cost. "For example, four phthalates are often added to plastics as plasticizers to increase the flexibility and ductility of plastics; hexavalent chromium is an important ingredient for rust prevention on metal surfaces; and polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers can be added to corresponding materials to act as flame retardants. In order to reduce costs, individual businesses may use harmful substances that exceed the standard." Fang Guangjun said.

In addition, "harmful" is not completely prohibited, the key is to meet a certain amount. Fang Guangjun, for example, once the six persistent organic substances targeted by the "new national standard" are used in excess, it is difficult to deal with them. If untreated directly enter the environment, it will pollute the soil and water sources, and eventually affect human health through the biological chain. The 10 substances involved in this mandatory standard are safe for daily use as long as they are within the limits.

With regard to the implementation of the "new national standard", Wang Peng said that for products produced or imported before the implementation date of the standard, enterprises will be given one year to consume inventory products, that is, inventory products can still be sold before August 1, 2028, and products that do not meet the standards cannot be sold again after August 1, 2028.

Drawing on international experience--

Help enterprises to better develop the market

Before the "new national standard", how to control harmful substances in electrical and electronic products?

It is understood that since 2000, the European Union, the United States, Japan and other economies have successively issued regulations on the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products. As early as 2006, China issued the "Administrative Measures for Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products" and began to control harmful substances in electronic information products. In 2016, eight departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, issued the measures for the Administration of restrictions on the use of harmful substances in Electrical and Electronic products on the basis of the original management measures, and fully implemented the control system of "supervision after conformity assessment of the standard management catalogue.

"In view of the international community's continued tightening of the control of hazardous substances and the increasing level of greening of the production technology of electrical and electronic products in China, we revised the recommended standards in June 2024 to add four new hazardous substances. The mandatory national standards, which were upgraded from the recommended national standards, continue the requirements for the control of 10 hazardous substances and achieve a seamless convergence." Guo Nan, vice president of China Institute of Electronic Technology Standardization, said.

Qu Zongfeng, vice president of the China Household Electrical Appliances Research Institute, introduced that the international community is highly concerned about the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products. The European Union was the first to implement corresponding regulations (RoHS Directive) to reduce or avoid the use of electrical and electronic products from the source. Specific hazardous substances. With the release of China's RoHS mandatory standards, product producers can make more targeted alternative preparations to improve the green attributes of products on the basis of the current publicity of parts and materials containing restricted substances in their products.

The reporter also learned in the interview that due to the fact that China's electrical and electronic products "go out to sea" more, the "new national standard" not only helps relevant enterprises to better serve domestic consumers, but also helps them to better expand overseas markets.

"Since the first export of air-conditioning products to Norway in 1996, Chigo has started to lay out the applicable control standards of harmful substances. Nowadays, most of the domestic and export models of Chigo have accelerated to move closer to the latest and strictest environmental protection standards." Hu Gen, director of Zhigao Gewu Technology Research and Development Department, said that taking Zhigao's new "Intellectual Youth Edition 270" air conditioner launched in 2025 as an example, hazardous substance control was incorporated into the design at the beginning of research and development to ensure that all parts and materials meet the latest environmental protection requirements. Among them, transparent flexible wind guide plate, high-purity injection wind wheel and other plastic parts, priority is given to halogen-free, non-phthalate alternative, recyclable materials.

In Hu Gen's view, the "new national standard" has brought new opportunities for enterprises to improve product quality. Zhigao will comprehensively meet the requirements of the new national standard and continuously improve the control measures of hazardous substances in the whole process of product design, material selection, production process and supply chain management. Enterprises will further increase research and development efforts, through technological innovation, material innovation, process innovation, balance the functionality and environmental protection of consumables, to achieve "both fish and bear's paw".

Multi-dimensional synergy--

polish industry green development background

The control of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products is a systematic project. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that it will take the implementation of mandatory national standards as an opportunity to work together from multiple dimensions such as strengthening supervision, technological innovation, policy support, and public services to promote the implementation of mandatory national standards and promote technological innovation and management systems. Upgrade, improve policy support and social co-governance mechanisms, and enhance the international level of hazardous substance control.

China is home appliances, electronic products manufacturing power. Many industry enterprises have begun to take action, in the product material environmental protection efforts, polish the industry green development background.

Li Feng, head of research and development of Galanz Microwave Household Electrical Appliance Manufacturing Co., Ltd., said that Galanz uses materials that meet international environmental protection and safety certification standards such as RoHS and REACH, whether it is the product panel, heating cavity liner, timer, transformer, fan and other components that are not easily observed directly by consumers.

"The 'new national standard' not only reflects China's great emphasis on green manufacturing and consumption upgrading, but also provides norms and guidelines for the high-quality and sustainable development of the electrical and electronics industry. In the future, we will comprehensively strengthen product life cycle quality control from R & D and design, material technology to manufacturing; continue to build a green supply system for the entire industry chain, and strengthen environmental access management and risk control of raw materials and components." Li Feng said.

Information provided by TCL shows that TCL air conditioners currently monitor the content of harmful substances in each batch of new materials introduced, especially the content of harmful substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers according to Rohs environmental protection marks, and materials exceeding the standard will not be selected. TCL washing machine in the design stage to limit the control of harmful substances. "Our key components such as circuit boards and plastic parts are required to be tested by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to ensure that the content of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium is below the limits. For example, in response to the current restrictions on PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in some countries around the world, we will replace the sealing ring material from fluororubber to silicone rubber to avoid perfluorocompound contamination." TCL industrial washing machine research and development expert Liu Litian said.

China has said "no" to harmful substances in electrical and electronic products, giving green consumption a bigger stage.

In the newly opened Beijing Jingdong mall Shuangjing Store, there is a special area for mothers and infants on the second floor. High-standard environmental protection products such as food supplement machines, constant temperature pots and baby washing machines gather here, attracting people's attention. The store manager Yu Daiyue told reporters that the launch of the "new national standard" is a good thing, which can make consumers pay more attention to the environmental protection and health attributes of products. In the future, in addition to the mother and baby zone, other areas of the store will also be more proactive in providing consumers with this information and facilitating their shopping decisions.

Chen Meng, from Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, said that he is preparing for pregnancy, and the "new national standard" has formed a distinct guiding role, which not only gives consumers a clearer reference, but also promotes businesses to provide more and more environmentally friendly products. "I hope that electrical and electronic products can be closer to family needs in terms of materials and design. For us, the most important thing is peace of mind." She said.

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