The number of products being granted the China Environmental Label
is growing fast as environmentally friendly products gain
popularity in the country. More than 9,000 products made by 750
Chinese companies have been granted the appellation since it was
launched in 1994.
Many consumers look for the label when buying construction or
renovation materials since media reports frequently highlight the
dangers some products can have on human health.
"Although construction or renovation materials with the China
Environmental Label are really more expensive, I still buy them
because they are much safer than regular ones," said Jing Peng, who
just bought a home in Beijing.
Cheng Lulian, an expert with the policy research center for
environment and economy under the State Environmental
Protection Administration, said environmental labeling can
benefit both consumers and manufacturers.
With the label, people know which products to buy to prevent
harm to the environment, while companies whose products are labeled
can get more market share, Cheng explained.
This year the number of products designated under China's
environmentally friendly appellation grew to 6,300 from 1,420 last
year, explained Cao Weimin with the Environmental Certification
Center under the State Environmental Protection Administration.
The label is playing an important role in helping Chinese
manufacturers overcome so-called "green barriers" in international
trade. This is done by making them more competitive in a market
which sets strict environmental standards, said Chen Yanping,
chairman of the certification center, the only body authorized to
grant the label.
Chen said the China Environmental Label abides by the principles
of ISO14024, which are part of the ISO14020 series of standards
issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
in 1998.
According to Xia Qing, head of a national ISO14020 standards
research team, a scheme for implementing further environmental
standards will be ready in 2005. But they will have to be approved
by the government before implementation, Xia said.
(China Daily December 15, 2003))