On October 15, 2025, the “2025 Road Motor Vehicle Harmful Substance Control Technology Seminar” and the “10th Anniversary of ELV Management” took place in Beijing. The event was hosted by China Automotive Data Co., Ltd. Ding Zhijun, Deputy Director of the Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, attended and spoke at the meeting. Gong Jinfeng, Deputy General Manager of the China Automotive Technology Research Center, also participated and delivered a welcome address. Du Kexiong, Director of the Chemical Division of the Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Liu Hui, Senior Researcher of the Commodity Inspection Division of the General Administration of Customs, and Hong Yun, Project Director of the United Nations Development Programme, were present and gave keynote speeches. Feng Yi, General Manager of China Automotive Data, hosted the meeting. Over 150 representatives from industry organizations, enterprises, and media attended. The conference reviewed the achievements of China’s management of harmful substances and recycling rates in the automotive sector over the past decade. It released a series of research findings and officially launched the “China Vehicle Recycling ID Joint Research Action Plan.” This marks a new phase in the green and circular development of China’s automotive industry.
Ding Zhijun, the deputy director of the Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, emphasized that ELV management drives the green transformation of the automotive industry. Over the past decade, China has made significant progress in standard system construction, policy innovation, and technology implementation. The green design capabilities and product recycling levels of vehicle and parts companies have steadily improved. Next, we should strengthen policy coordination and system construction. We need to build a more internationally competitive system for green products and a circular economy.
Gong Jinfeng, Deputy General Manager of the China Automotive Technology Research Center, noted that under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the center and industry enterprises have made significant progress in building the ELV management system. Next, they will support the improvement of ELV management policies, tackle key technologies, promote industry innovation, optimize service ecosystems, and unite efforts to advance green automotive development.
Du Kexiong, director of the Chemical Division at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s Solid Waste and Chemicals Department, emphasized the need to strengthen lifecycle management. He urged continuous improvement in hazardous substance tracking capabilities. This will help reduce environmental risks from products.
Liu Hui, a senior researcher at the General Administration of Customs, stated that the department will strengthen inter-departmental collaboration. It will optimize inspection services for import and export goods. This effort aims to help Chinese automotive products achieve higher levels of green compliance in the international market.
UNDP project director Hong Yun emphasized that ELV management is crucial for achieving global sustainable development goals. He urged the Chinese automotive industry to deepen its alignment with international standards.
Four important results were released, showcasing ten years of governance achievements. The meeting officially announced four key outcomes of ELV management’s tenth anniversary: the “Research Report on Harmful Substances and Recycling Rates in China’s Automotive Industry,” the “Global Guide to Regulations on Harmful Substances and Recycling Rates in the Automotive Sector,” the “Reference Guidelines for Typical Scenarios in Harmful Substance Management in the Automotive Industry,” and the “Collection of Best Practices in Harmful Substance Management in the Automotive Sector.”
Zhuang Mengmeng, director of the Data Recycling Office at China Automotive Technology and Research Center, reported on the progress of “China’s ELV Management Ten Years” and the analysis of “15th Five-Year Plan” trends. She noted that the total lead content in vehicle models will drop significantly in 2024, reaching a historic low. The year-on-year decline is clear and shows a notable reduction compared to the early implementation of policies. Lead pollution control has achieved positive results. In resource recycling, the reuse and recycling rates of vehicles continue to rise and remain high. Most vehicle models meet the EU RRR certification requirements. During the “15th Five-Year Plan,” we should improve the standard system, expand control scope, and build a green governance mechanism covering the entire vehicle lifecycle.
Twenty-one companies received recognition for 29 exemplary ELV management cases, covering seven key areas. The conference held a ceremony to award these exemplary case companies. Experts reviewed and selected cases based on seven criteria: harmful substance substitution and reduction, design for recyclability, green supply chain management, consistent quality assurance, testing capacity building, training mechanism establishment, and international product experience.
Award-winning companies include FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd., Geely Automotive Research Institute Co., Ltd., Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd., Volvo Car Investment Holding Co., Ltd., Xiaomi Automotive Technology Co., Ltd., NIO Automotive Technology Co., Ltd., and United Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd. These companies showcase the automotive industry’s capabilities in green design and compliance for international markets. The “China Vehicle Recycling ID Joint Research Action Plan” has officially launched.
The conference launched the “China Vehicle Recycling ID Joint Research Action Plan.” The China Automotive Data Center leads this plan. It collaborates with eight industry organizations, including the China Rubber Industry Association Tire Branch and the China National First Automobile Group. The plan aims to create a recycling information data chain covering vehicle design, manufacturing, use, and recycling. It will provide a technical foundation for precise traceability, material recycling, and closed-loop management. Liu Lizhe, an expert from the China Automotive Data Center, explained the action plan. He stated that the vehicle recycling ID system will focus on three areas: integrated identification, traceable data, and scenario-based applications. This will lay the groundwork for alignment with international recycling passport mechanisms. Later, Li Qiushuang, director of the Comprehensive Laboratory at the Solid Waste and Chemical Management Technology Center, presented a report on the progress and policy trends of new pollutant management in China. She discussed relevant policies and practices in source substitution, environmental risk control, and standard system construction. The afternoon session focused on international compliance and material innovation, discussing the implementation path for the 14th Five-Year Plan. Li Jiang, deputy general manager of the Traffic Services Department at Rhine Technical Supervision Service Co., shared updates on the EU’s new ELV law and compliance trends. Liu Jingrong, an expert from the National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee, outlined the current state and development direction of China’s green recycling standard system for automotive products. Zhou Yunfei, deputy secretary-general of the China National Resources Recycling Association’s Recycled Plastics Branch, analyzed the current state and technological trends of recycled plastics in the automotive industry. Experts Ning Chunyan from Bosch Investment Co. and Xie Yu from LyondellBasell discussed innovative practices in hazardous substance control and recycled material technology pathways. The conference summarized the historic transition of China’s ELV management from “system establishment” to “system improvement.” Looking ahead to the 14th Five-Year Plan, all parties will continue to collaborate on reducing hazardous substances at the source and enhancing the quality and efficiency of recycling. Together, they will build a new pattern of green, sustainable, and high-quality development for China’s automotive industry.