The government is to expand its list of approved environmentally
friendly products from 81 to more than 440, the top environmental
administration said yesterday in Beijing.
The revised list will include several domestic brands, including
Chery cars and Jinqiu timber products. The list, which was
introduced last October, remains divided into 14 categories, among
them cars, office equipment and construction materials.
"When the policy asking the government to give priority to green
products was released last year, many Chinese companies realized
that they had to choose the green path if they wanted to grow their
market share," said Chen Yanping, head of the Environmental
Certification Center of the State Environmental Protection
Administration.
"They began to show great interest in applying for green
certification for their products."
Jin Yibo, a deputy sales manager with the Chery Auto Group,
said: "By putting environmentally friendly cars on the procurement
list, the government is clearly demonstrating that it wants the
public to buy green vehicles. It is also providing direction for
the auto industry."
However, Chen pointed out that the inventory would continue to
be updated, as new environmental standards are introduced. And
companies would have to re-apply if their certification becomes
outdated or their products are no longer classed as being
"green".
The Ministry of Finance and the State Environmental Protection
Administration released the circular outlining the green
procurement policy last October.
It said that governments should purchase only those products
that have been officially certified as environmentally friendly
from January 1 of this year.
The policy will be implemented at all government levels next
year.
(China Daily March 29, 2007)