China's Printing Eco-Label Standard Takes Effect Today, Green Printing Enters Concrete Implementation

[In Brief]

The Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China has approved the National Environmental Protection Standard / Technical Requirements for Environmental Labeling Products – Printing, which officially takes effect today. The standard was compiled by the ministry's Environmental Development Center (Sino-Japan Friendship Center for Environmental Protection), with participation from the Printing Technology Association of China, the Beijing Green Cause Culture Development Center and other organizations.

Starting in the second half of 2009, the Printing Technology Association of China and the Ministry of Environmental Protection's Certification Center carried out surveys in Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Beijing and other locations to assess the printing industry's situation. They also gathered materials on green printing in developed countries and consulted Chinese printing exporters about overseas environmental requirements for printed products. Based on that work, drafting began on a printing environmental labeling standard suited to China's current printing industry. Senior printing experts were brought into the drafting group, and after multiple rounds of opinion-gathering, repeated data testing and revisions, the draft for review was completed.

According to the Printing Technology Association of China, after the standard takes effect, testing mechanisms for printed products and enterprise audits still need to be established under environmental labeling product certification, so that the green printing evaluation system can be gradually improved. From the second half of 2011, relevant certification work will be carried out among printing enterprises nationwide under the standard, and China's first batch of environmental labeling products in the printing industry will be introduced.

In September last year, the General Administration of Press and Publication and the Ministry of Environmental Protection signed in Beijing the Cooperation Agreement on Implementing the Green Printing Strategy. Guided by the principles of 'comprehensive advancement, breakthroughs at key points, innovative mechanisms and strengthened supervision,' the agreement works to advance green printing in China. The official promulgation of the National Environmental Protection Standard / Technical Requirements for Environmental Labeling Products – Printing has far-reaching significance for improving the green printing evaluation system and implementing China's green printing strategy, marking that green printing in China has entered a stage of concrete implementation.

(Source: China Printing Industry Network)

— This article is reposted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-362141.html