China's Circular Economy Promotion Law Comes into Force    

The Circular Economy Promotion Law, which was approved by the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress of China on August 29th, 2008, comes into force on January 1st, 2009. In order to get it effectively implemented, China's related governmental departments held a meeting on December 19th.
    This Law is aimed at developing circular economy, improving the utilization efficiency of resources, protecting and improving the environment and reaching sustainability.
    This Law defines circular economy as the reducing, reusing and recycling activities conducted in the process of production, logistics and consumption. Reducing means in the production, logistics and consumption reducing the consumption of resources and the form of wastes. Reusing refers to using wastes as products directly, or using wastes after repair, renewal or reproduction, or using part or all wastes as components of other products. Recycling refers to using wastes as raw materials directly or after regeneration.
    Chen Zhili, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, spoke at the meeting this law will help China to realize energy conservation and pollutants reduction. Implementation of this law and the development of circular economy will also promote the formation of new industries and innovative products, which will play an important role in spurring domestic demand, creating new jobs and solving the living difficulties.
    Upon this law, the enterprises and public organizations are required to set up management systems and take measures to reduce the consumption of resources, reduce the discharge of wastes and improve the reutilization and recycling level of wastes. Enterprises in the industries of power generation, refining, chemicals, steel, non-ferrous metal and building materials must replace fuel oil with clean energy, e.g., clean coal, petroleum coke, natural gas within the scope and time limit prescribed by the central government. The key supervision and administration system will be addressed to key enterprises in the high energy or water consuming industries such as steel, non-ferrous metal, coal, refining, chemical, building materials, paper-making, dyeing/printing.
    Citizens are required by this law to enhance awareness of resources conservation and protecting the environment, consume resources in a reasonable way and save resources.