State Council plan extends producer responsibility and calls for battery collection networks

China’s State Council General Office issued an extended producer responsibility plan on 25 December 2016. It extended resource and environmental responsibility beyond manufacturing to design, consumption, collection and disposal, initially covering electronics, vehicles, lead-acid batteries and packaging.

For EV batteries, the plan called on vehicle and battery producers to create collection networks using after-sales channels, publish collection information and ensure safe treatment. Shenzhen was among the cities designated to move first.

Battery producers were to code products and establish lifecycle traceability. Vehicle design should address recyclability and dismantling, with cooperation between producers, dismantlers and remanufacturers and more complete vehicle lifecycle information.

The plan also assigned responsibilities for ecodesign, recycled materials and information disclosure, with phased development of legislation, evaluation and oversight. It was published on the central government website on 3 January 2017.