Promoting the circular economy can also stimulate consumption

IN A NEWS CONFERENCE of the two sessions in Beijing on Wednesday, He Lifeng, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the commission is drafting a recycling policy for used cars and household appliances to promote the development of the circular economy. Beijing News comments:

Chinese people use more than 200 million cars and hundreds of millions of refrigerators, TV sets, air conditioners, washing machines and other household appliances, many of which are replaced by new ones each year.

Statistics of the China Renewable Resources Recycling Association indicate that each year the number of household appliances and electronic products scrapped increases by about 20 percent. These include not only the ones that have reached the end of their useful life but also the ones replaced by new ones long before their retirement age.