Tianjin will begin constructing a national level e-waste recycle base from this year on in order to speed up the development of its environmental protection industry.
At present, Tianjin discards about 100,000 refrigerators, 160,000 televisions, 110,000 washing machines and 100,000 computer and mobile phones each year, and the number for small home appliance goods is even higher. However, only one-sixth of these used goods are thrown away as waste. It is estimated that in the coming five years, the quantity of discarded computers and affiliated articles in the city will increase by 25% to 30% annually.
Old and used electrical appliances contain hazardous chemicals which will do serious harm to the environment if disposed of inappropriately, but they gain reasonable economic benefit if dealt with properly.
From this year on, Tianjin plans to expand its Ziya Environmental Protection Industry Park, which was originally initiated in 2001, and expects that the park will help dispose of 15 million used electrical appliances by 2010, achieving about RMB3 billion in income and becoming a new growth point for the city's economic development.
