China Establishes New Lab For Green Remanufacturing

A new laboratory, focused on the study of the collection, remanufacture and recycle of used printing devices and consumables, was just established in Shanghai, China. It is the first joint lab in this field in China, according the Dong Fang Daily.

The lab was co-founded by four parties: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; Shanghai Computer Trade Association (SCTA); Speed Infotech Holdings Limited; and Shanghai Cooperative Centre for WEEE Recycling of the Shanghai Second Polytechnic University (SSPU).

Benjamin Young, General Manager of Speed Infotech Holdings Limited, told Recycling Times, “There is no standard for print consumables remanufacturing in China, which also results in bad quality remanufactured cartridges. As the remanufacturing industry is growing, we have been expecting to build an authoritative third-party lab for the industry. Now we have the lab. One of its aims is to establish a standard for ink cartridge remanufacturing in China, with the joint effort of SCTA, SSPU and enterprises.”

The lab experts noted China should learn from Germany, where printing consumables are categorized as electronic waste and treated under standard  specifications. Further, they suggested the Shanghai government should first consider setting up a local standard that specifies how to deal with used printing devices and consumables. After monitoring its use locally, it may be considered as a national standard in the future.