China Communications Standards Association has set up the Special Task Team for Environmental Protection in response to the European Union's proposals on e-waste.

The Opening Ceremony and the first meeting of Special Task Group for Environment Protection Standards of Telecommunication Products was held in Beijing on June 15, 2007. 80 delegates from 50 bodies attended the meeting.

Mr. Zhou Baoxin, the secretary-general of CCSA, presided the meeting. Ms. Dai Xiaohui, director of department of Standards of Science& Technology Bureau of MII, Mr. Huang Jianzhong, director of system reform & market department at the Economic Operations Bureau of MII, Mr. Guan Shixuan from National Development and Reform Commission, Mr. Liu Dashan from Standardization Administration of China and other honorable guests attended the meeting.

According to the article 3.1.4.3 of CCSA Organization Form of Standard Management and Study, the meeting nominated Mr. Jiang Jingxin, vice-director of Environment Protection Lab at TTL from CATR of MII, as the leader of the task group. 

The Special Task Team for Environment Protection is mainly engaged in the study of a standard for recycling e-waste and the standard for testing harmful chemicals in electronic products. Of those, the standard for testing harmful chemicals on electronic product is a compulsive one. This means that once this standard is put into force, all the communications products must be tested first before they can go to market. In this sense, the standard is close to the EU's relevant dictates and helps reduce the loss that Chinese companies often suffer when exporting their communications products to the European countries.

With the EU's implementation of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE directive) in August 2005 and The Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electronical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS directive) in July 2006, the cost for the relevant electronic products has increased by as much as 10%. As a result, many Chinese companies have been barred from exporting their electronic products to the EU countries. Local media reports that China's Guangdong Province alone loses several million dollars each year due to these two directives.

China Communications Standards Association is an authoritative standard making organization that enjoys high reputation in China's communications field. The establishment of the Special Task Team will enable it to supervise and evaluate the environment testing capacities of the domestic communications testing institutions.