On December 27, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) solicited opinions on the following two mandatory standards for household and similar electrical appliances (drafts for comments), with a deadline of February 21, 2024:
l Household and similar electrical appliances - Health safety specification (draft for comments)
l Household and similar electrical appliances - Energy saving and environment protection specification (draft for comments)
1. The "Household and similar electrical appliances - Health safety specification" will integrate and replace the existing eight mandatory standards, including "GB 21551.1~6 Antibacterial, Deodorizing, and Purification Functions of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances," "GB 17988-2008 Safety and Hygiene Requirements for Tableware Disinfection Cabinets," and "GB 19606-2004 Noise Limits for Household and Similar Electrical Appliances." It stipulates general principles, basic safety, health protection functions, requirements for markings and instructions related to the health safety of household and similar electrical appliances (referred to as "appliances"), and provides corresponding test methods.
Key points from the draft include:
l General principles state that, when installed, used, maintained, and repaired according to the appliance's instructions, there should be no hazards that affect human and environmental health, or the risk level of hazards should be within an acceptable range.
l Safety technical indicators include ultraviolet (UVC) leakage, noise, electromagnetic fields (EMF), ozone leakage, total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentration, hygiene safety of food contact materials, and antibacterial environments. The content integrates and summarizes requirements from the original GB 21551 series standards, GB 17988, and GB 19606. New requirements are introduced for appliances that use electromagnetic induction for heating, adding electromagnetic radiation (EMF) requirements.
l Health protection functions include whole-machine air purification, antibacterial, antiviral functions, and material antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral functions. The content integrates and summarizes requirements from the original GB 21551 series standards and GB 17988, and specifies minimum requirements for appliances with air purification and antiviral functions.
l The section on markings and instructions requirements integrates markings from the original GB 21551 series standards, GB 17988, and GB 19606. It adds requirements for markings and instructions corresponding to potential hazards of ultraviolet and ozone during appliance use.
2. The "Household and similar electrical appliances - Energy saving and environment protection specification" will be China's first general standard for energy-saving and environmentally friendly requirements for household appliance products. It stipulates general principles, lifecycle stage requirements, and product requirements for energy-saving and environmentally friendly household and similar electrical appliances.
Key points from the draft include:
l In the general principles, it proposes considering and identifying the potential impacts on the environment, resources, and energy during each stage of the product lifecycle in the design and development stage. It emphasizes compliance with energy-saving and environmental protection requirements in materials, technology, processes, equipment, packaging, maintenance, or repair.
l In the lifecycle stage requirements, it proposes energy-saving and environmental protection requirements during the production, installation, and recycling/reuse stages.
l In the product requirements section, based on existing energy efficiency, water efficiency standards, regulations on refrigerants, and restrictions on harmful substances, it sets requirements for energy efficiency, water efficiency, refrigerants, foaming agents, and renewable utilization during the product's use.
This standard aligns with the "Montreal Protocol" regarding the restriction of refrigerant use and is consistent with the EU RoHS in terms of restrictions on harmful substances and labeling.