China RoHS Compliance Opens Doors
In 2006 the first Eco Expo Asia trade show was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Victoria Harbour. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Messe Frankfurt Ltd, Eco Expo Asia is aimed at bringing Asian buyers into contact with suppliers of environmentally friendly products.
The show was quite successful, attracting 4,498 buyers to displays by 128 exhibitors. In addition, nearly 3,500 visitors attended the show during the last day when the public was granted free access. The buyers represented 79 nations and regions, with the majority from China and Hong Kong.
China and other Asian nations have embarked upon sweeping programs to reduce the environmental impact of all activities in the region. In particular, China is looking to spend $17 billion on environmental protection during the current 5-year plan. The Central Government and Hong Kong SAR Government have a joint plan to clean up shared water resources by reducing pollution and controlling future emissions. In Hong Kong, the Eco Park will be created with a focus on waste management. Another Hong Kong program seeks to improve the area's air quality.
With all this activity there are ample opportunities for businesses to sell a wide range of products into this market. For electrical and electronics products, the key to access is China RoHS compliance.
The Administration on the Control of Pollution caused by Electronic Information Products (ACPEIP), or China RoHS, went into effect on 1 March 2007. The first phase requires marking of products to declare the amount of hazardous substances present inside and how long the product may be safely used before the substances are released into the environment.
Additional effort is required over and above EU RoHS to achieve compliance. ACPEIP permits no exemptions. Consequently, Hg in EU-exempt fluorescent tubes must be declared on the product label, as would Pb in high-temperature solder used for IC die attachments. Essentially, every EU exemption will result in a composite declaration of the hazardous substances on the ACPEIP declaration label. In addition, all products must be tested and certified by an analysis lab approved by the Chinese government. At this time, 18 Chinese labs have been approved.
The good news is that the activity required to meet the labeling requirements is relatively easy if you have a compliance process that already collects material content data on your product inputs. According to Harvey Stone of the Goodbye Chain Group, one customer was able to complete three-fourths of the China RoHS compliance work on a new product in less than one day. This was the result of having done a thorough job on EU RoHS and collecting a complete set of compliance data along the way.
During the first phase of ACPEIP, the only requirement is that products be tested and properly labeled. The second phase will introduce the actual restrictions on substances. The starting date of phase 2 has not yet been determined. Phase 1 provides a little bit of breathing room for manufacturers to bring their products fully into compliance. The consequences of non-compliance will be fines and a closed door to Chinese markets.
Once your products are compliant, the Eco Expo Asia 2007 show is likely to be an excellent way to introduce your business to Asia. Reserve 27-30 October 2007 for your company and claim a piece of the pie.
Additional Resources
Eco Expo Asia 2007 - show information.
China RoHS Compliance - overview of the regulations with a step-wise compliance plan and sources for all the resources you will need to complete the job.
"China RoHS scope clarified" - explains scope of legislation and the 2-phase implementation.
