Manufacturers’ environmental responsibility in China will be extended from production processes to the entire life cycle of products, including design, circulation, recycling and disposal, according to a State Council’s circular issued on Jan 3.

Taking the environmental impact of materials into consideration, manufacturers are required to design durable products with green packages, use renewable raw materials, and standardize recycling.

Manufacturers in four categories of products, including electrical appliances and electronic products, automobiles, lead-acid batteries and packing materials, are given priority to carry out extended producer responsibility, according to the circular.

They are encouraged to take the initiative to use renewable materials, and undertake recycling and processing of discarded products.

For electronics recycling, efforts should be made to build pilot recycling spots in commercial blocks and transportation hubs, and enhance electronic waste collection and sorting in communities and office buildings.

The circular encouraged automobile manufacturers to recycle scrapped cars and remanufacture products with the recycled auto parts. Also, it urged establishing a national management system for scrapped cars and recycling networks for power batteries from electric vehicles.

A national level goal should be set for recycling wasted lead-acid batteries and paper-based packaging products. Shanghai will be the first city to establish a recycling system for lead-acid batteries, according to the circular.

The circular also highlighted efforts to build a credit information collecting and sharing system for major manufacturers among the four categories, and improve related policies and regulations.

The document listed a total of 20 major tasks in promoting the moves, and departments and ministries, such as the National Development and Reform Commission and the ministries of environmental protection, finance, and commerce, will get involved in the efforts.