The 22 local stores of the Gome chain began a call-service to collect used household appliances as of this Monday, with all the discarded appliances to be transported to a special factory for further disposal.

Gome also declared that they will collect appliances that were not supplied by its stores, but that those appliances having invoices from Gome will command a better price for their owners.

In the appointed workshops, the discarded appliances will be split into parts and disposed of in accordance with environmental protection ordinances, said an official from Gome.

Harmful or poisonous parts will be disposed of by burning, burying or decontamination, while those safe for re-use will be assembled as second hand appliances for return to the market.

"We have collected many used appliances here since the beginning of the service, " said the official, "and we are set to sign cooperation agreements with some disposal factories in the neighbouring areas of the city next week."

The service is in line with a pending regulation on the administration of the collection of used home appliances and electronic products. 

Gome's Shanghai experimental unit is the first in the eastern China region.

(Shanghai Daily August 16, 2005)