Lawmakers will discuss the country's first law to put into
effect the circular economy initiative on August 24.
The Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress
(NPC), the top legislature, announced on Friday it would hold its
29th meeting from August 24 to 30, during which the draft of the
circular economy law would be discussed for the first time.
The circular economy law provides a legal framework for
developing the economy, raising energy efficiency, protecting the
environment and realizing a sustainable development.
Qian Yi, professor of the environmental science and engineering
department of Tsinghua University, said the circular law would be
different from the draft energy conservation law and the Law on the
Promotion of Cleaner Production, whose targets are overlapping: to
save energy and protect the environment.
"The new law requires all the links from production to
consumption to follow the rules of the circular economy," she
said.
The circular economy changes the traditional linear way of
material flow, raising eco-efficiency based on the 3R principle -
reduction, reuse and recycle.
According to the draft, it will raise standards in resource
reduction, safe waste disposal industrial production, mineral
resource exploitation, construction, agriculture, governmental
practice, urban domestic consumption, and the service sector.
Mao Rubai, chairman of the NPC's Environmental and Resources
Protection Committee, earlier told China Daily that "some
detailed mandatory requirements have been written into the draft,
making the law easy to implement".
The draft requires the government to allocate special funds for
supporting technological research, key projects, education,
capacity building and the establishment of an information
network.
Incentives, such as favorable tax and investment policies, will
also be offered to organizations that take an active role in
China's Circular Economy, according to the draft.
Violators could face a fine of up to 500,000 yuan
(US$66,000).
(China Daily August 18, 2007)