China plays clean-up game
18 September 2007
Gordon Wong looks at the environmental pressures on China's PCB industry and some of the steps it is taking to counter them
So, in just under 12 months from now, the world’s eyes will be on Beijing as the Olympics hit town. It appears that outside eyes, and noses, seem somewhat transfixed with the issue of pollution and the environment there, having reported on China’s recent trials to limit the number of vehicles in Beijing over a 4-day period in an attempt to determine whether this might make a difference to air pollution levels for next year’s big event.
It’s a bit of a conundrum this one for China. Having established itself as the world’s fastest growing manufacturing centre of electronic, electrical, consumer, and all manner of other industrial goods, the country is enjoying the fruits of its growing global profile and increasing wealth; with this growth however have come associated side-effects that are altogether less desirable. Amongst other things, more wealth has resulted in more of a consumer mentality than ever before, as more Chinese are buying cars, electrical goods, mobile phones and other trappings of, in many cases, hitherto unseen personal wealth. In fact, this transition to such a significant consumer society is a reality, with International Data Corporation (IDC) predicting that the Chinese market for consumer electronics will reach 100 billion US dollars by 2008. China’s pcb industry is now the largest in the world, with 2006 revenue coming in at around 12 billion U.S. dollars. Significantly, the country has seemingly crept up from nowhere to gain this top spot in less than fifteen years.
According to a recent report though, sales of conventional electronic products have in fact slowed down in China. As a result, Chinese manufacturers have turned to products with more advanced technology. As more innovative products enter the market along with the growing number of people able to buy them, there will be strong growth in consumer electronics.
Set against this backdrop however is the ever-present issue of the environment. What kinds of quantitative (and indeed qualitative) effects is all of this growth and change having on environmental landscape, locally, nationally, and beyond?
The waste issues that are documented for pcb manufacture and assembly similarly apply to operations in China, albeit on a larger scale based on the sheer volume of boards being manufactured in the country. Alongside the country’s fast economic expansion, the environment is starting to play some role in perhaps dampening down some of this growth as many of the country’s pcb factories realise and acknowledge that they need to clean up their operations and procedures, and address the issue of waste treatment with some urgency.
According to Shiuh-Kao Chiang of Prismark, on the subject of China’s recent and ongoing focus on environmental issues, companies may well be forced to direct existing technical resources to environmental issues, and this may slow growth and slow the transition to newer technologies.
The China Printed Circuit Association (CPCA) has launched a project to reuse waste water in support of and as part of the country’s Recycling Economy policy, and under the direction of the China Development & Reform Commission; it is hoped that this project will dramatically change the perception that China’s pcb industry is a heavy polluter. Driven by RoHS and China RoHS, this will include a strengthening of environment-friendly processes and materials, development of equipment with environmental issues in mind, and encouragement of green products and processes, especially in respect of pollution control.
At last year’s National People’s Congress, Premier Wen Jiabao outlined the country’s targets for reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP (around 20%), and for cutting the total discharge of major pollutants (10%). Said Wen, “These targets are designed to address the acute problem of mounting pressure on resources and the environment. They reflect the need to build a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society and are necessitated by current conditions and long-term interests. They therefore provide a clear guide for policy making. Though achieving them will be quite difficult, we have the confidence and determination to succeed.”
So, next August, as sportsmen descend upon Beijing to fulfil their Olympic dream, politicians, action groups and journalists will no doubt take the opportunity to consider what longer term effects China’s staggering economic growth will have on the rest of the world. By and large, they should be assured that China’s movers and shakers are more than aware of what needs to be done to maintain steady growth while keeping a close eye on environmental matters.
Contact Details and Archive...
Most Viewed Articles...