China Association for Medical Devices Industry (CAMDI) organized experts to investigate manufacturers of mercury-containing thermometers and sphygmomanometers in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Anhui from November 3 to 6, 2020 to understand their production phase-out and environmentally sound management of mercury-containing thermometers and sphygmomanometers.
The investigation group arrived at Anhui Fangda Pharmaceutical Machinery Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Yuanyan Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Huachen Medical Instruments Co., Ltd. in succession, where they mainly investigated the enterprises’ production lines, mercury consumption, mercury-containing waste treatment, alternative products and future transformation plans, had in-depth discussions with the enterprises and paid field visits to their production lines.
Representatives from UNDP China and Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment also participated in the investigation together with related experts.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury became officially binding on China from August 16, 2017. According to the relevant provisions, China will ban the production and import and export of mercury-containing products listed in the annexes of the said Convention (except for the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers) from January 1, 2021 and ban the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers from January 1, 2026.
The Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are currently developing the Global Environment Facility (GEF) - Demonstration of Production Phase-out of Mercury-containing Medical Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers and Promoting the Application of Mercury-free Alternatives in Medical Facilities in China, which intends to advance the replacement of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers and reduce the consumption and emission of mercury in China by carrying out production phase-out of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers, technological transformation demonstration, and application and promotion of mercury-free alternatives. The Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment has recently released the “Announcement on Inviting Demonstration Enterprises in the Production Phase-out and Environmentally Sound Management of Mercury-containing Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers for the ‘Global Environment Facility - Demonstration of Production Phase-out of Mercury-containing Medical Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers and Promoting the Application of Mercury-free Alternatives in Medical Facilities in China’” to invite manufacturers of mercury-containing thermometers and/or sphygmomanometers interested in the demonstration to participate.
CAMDI will pay further attention to the progress of the above demonstration project, cooperate with the work of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, organize enterprises to participate in relevant activities, and actively promote the application and promotion of mercury-free technology in the medical device industry to achieve mercury pollution and emission reduction and mercury product substitution.
The investigation group arrived at Anhui Fangda Pharmaceutical Machinery Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Yuanyan Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Huachen Medical Instruments Co., Ltd. in succession, where they mainly investigated the enterprises’ production lines, mercury consumption, mercury-containing waste treatment, alternative products and future transformation plans, had in-depth discussions with the enterprises and paid field visits to their production lines.
Representatives from UNDP China and Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment also participated in the investigation together with related experts.
Investigation Symposium at Anhui Fangda
Investigation Symposium at Jiangsu Yuanyan
Visiting the Production Line of Jiangsu Yuanyan
Visiting Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Investigation Symposium at Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Visiting the Production Line of Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Investigation Symposium at Jiangsu Huachen
Investigation Symposium at Jiangsu Yuanyan
Visiting the Production Line of Jiangsu Yuanyan
Visiting Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Investigation Symposium at Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Visiting the Production Line of Shanghai Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
Investigation Symposium at Jiangsu Huachen
The Minamata Convention on Mercury became officially binding on China from August 16, 2017. According to the relevant provisions, China will ban the production and import and export of mercury-containing products listed in the annexes of the said Convention (except for the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers) from January 1, 2021 and ban the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers from January 1, 2026.
The Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are currently developing the Global Environment Facility (GEF) - Demonstration of Production Phase-out of Mercury-containing Medical Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers and Promoting the Application of Mercury-free Alternatives in Medical Facilities in China, which intends to advance the replacement of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers and reduce the consumption and emission of mercury in China by carrying out production phase-out of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers, technological transformation demonstration, and application and promotion of mercury-free alternatives. The Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment has recently released the “Announcement on Inviting Demonstration Enterprises in the Production Phase-out and Environmentally Sound Management of Mercury-containing Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers for the ‘Global Environment Facility - Demonstration of Production Phase-out of Mercury-containing Medical Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers and Promoting the Application of Mercury-free Alternatives in Medical Facilities in China’” to invite manufacturers of mercury-containing thermometers and/or sphygmomanometers interested in the demonstration to participate.
CAMDI will pay further attention to the progress of the above demonstration project, cooperate with the work of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, organize enterprises to participate in relevant activities, and actively promote the application and promotion of mercury-free technology in the medical device industry to achieve mercury pollution and emission reduction and mercury product substitution.