Chinese organization publishes carbon footprint assessment standards for washing machines, other 4 kinds of appliances

On Jan. 9, 2025, the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, a Chinese non-profit organization, published association standards that set out carbon footprint assessment (or “quantification”) methodologies and requirements for the following products:

• Washing machines (standard code: T/CHEAA 0042-2025)
• Range hoods (T/CHEAA 0043-2025)
• Dishwashers (T/CHEAA 0044-2025)
• Hermetic motor-compressors for refrigerators (T/CHEAA 0045-2025)
• Hermetic motor-compressors for room air conditioners (T/CHEAA 0046-2025)

Each standard deals with assessment purposes, the assessment scope, inventory analysis, impact assessment, explanation of the carbon footprints of assessed products, product carbon footprint reports, and product carbon footprint statements. All the standards came into effect Jan. 9, 2025. As these are recommended standards rather than mandatory ones, business entities are expected to follow them voluntarily.

Scopes of the standards

The scopes of these standards for carbon footprint assessment are shown below along with their English titles:

• “Greenhouse Gases—Quantification Requirements and Methods of Product Carbon Footprint—Electrical Washing Machines” (T/CHEAA 0042-2025) covers washing machines and washer-dryers with a rated voltage of 250 V or less used by nonprofessionals in homes, stores, schools and other places.
• “Greenhouse Gases—Quantification Requirements and Methods of Product Carbon Footprint—Range Hoods” (T/CHEAA 0043-2025) covers range hoods with a rated voltage of 250 V or less. It does not apply to range hoods installed for industrial or commercial purposes or installed in special places with the presence of things such as corrosive or explosive gases.
• “Greenhouse Gases—Quantification Requirements and Methods of Product Carbon Footprint—Electrical Dishwashers” (T/CHEAA 0044-2025) covers dishwashers using single-phase power with a rated voltage of 250 V or less for household and similar uses. It does not apply to dishwashers for commercial or similar uses.
• “Greenhouse Gases—Quantification Requirements and Methods of Product Carbon Footprint—Hermetic Motor-Compressor for Refrigerators” (T/CHEAA 0045-2025) covers low-back-pressure hermetic motor-compressors used in refrigerators for household and similar uses using R600a, R290 or R134a refrigerant with a nominal refrigeration capacity of 500 W or less under the standard condition.
• “Greenhouse Gases—Quantification Requirements and Methods of Product Carbon Footprint—Hermetic Motor-Compressors for Room Air Conditioners” (T/CHEAA 0046-2025) covers hermetic rotary compressors and hermetic scroll compressors for room air conditioners. It does not apply to compressors used solely as air conditioner repair parts.

Producers of these products can prepare inventories of greenhouse gas emissions during the lifecycle of the products, and assess their carbon footprints according to the corresponding standards. Based on this, they can also report the lifecycle carbon footprints of products.

China’s standards for home appliance carbon footprint

In China, standards for product carbon footprint assessment are first implemented as association standards, and gradually upgraded to industry standards or recommended national standards as stated in the carbon footprint framework implementation plan announced in April 2024 by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other government departments.

Under this implementation plan, the China Household Electrical Appliances Association develops carbon footprint assessment standards specific for different types of home appliances. In addition to the five standards covered in this article, the association has published the following ones:

• Guidelines for Carbon Footprint Accounting of Household Electrical Appliances (T/CHEAA 0027-2023)
• Specific Rules for Carbon Footprint Accounting of Household Electrical Appliances—Household Refrigerators (T/CHEAA 0028-2023)
• Specific Rules for Carbon Footprint Accounting of Household Electrical Appliances—Room Air Conditioners (T/CHEAA 0029-2023)

You can read part of the standards covered in this article (in Chinese) here:
https://www.cheaa.org/contents/419/12299.html