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EU new environmental law is too strict! German made face masks can't compete with those made in China

According to the German edition of the European times, from this week, Germany has fully implemented the compulsory order of masks, requiring people to wear masks when entering stores or taking public transport. Although the Federal Ministry of health has successfully purchased 2 billion medical surgical masks, this is far from enough to balance the current huge demand for masks in Germany.

During the new crown epidemic, as a rigid demand material, masks are always in short supply in the global market. The global supply of masks is heavily dependent on Chinese production. In order to reduce dependence on other countries and realize self-sufficiency as soon as possible, Germany decided to strengthen domestic production of masks. More than 500 textile manufacturers in Germany have revamped their production lines to produce surgical masks, FFP standard masks and reusable masks, the world daily reported.

Soon, textile manufacturers found that it was not easy to resume the production of masks in Germany. To comply with a series of strict EU environmental protection regulations, they could not produce masks, protective clothing and other medical protection materials in the EU. The German textile and fashion industry association felt helpless. Ingeborg Neumann, President of the association, said: "at the moment of the epidemic, although many enterprises are struggling on the verge of bankruptcy and bankruptcy, they insist on increasing mask production, while the EU is busy tightening environmental regulations at this time."

According to the relevant environmental protection plan, from 2021, the EU will implement a higher standard of environmental protection policies, including carbon dioxide emission tax, tightening the restrictions on chemicals and materials within the EU, and strengthening waste emission recovery management. The textile industry association pointed out that once the new environmental protection regulations were implemented, the European Union mask manufacturers would be limited by the chemical management regulations and could not continue to produce and sell medical surgical masks and FFP standard protective masks.

Under the EU's high standard environmental protection policy, Germany's self-sufficiency in producing masks is bound to be an illusion. Environmental protection regulations not only impose strict restrictions on textile colorants, but also set the maximum use proportion of micro plastics. FFP standard masks cannot be approved because the content of micro plastics is higher than the European and American standards. In addition, due to the strict restrictions on fluorine-containing chemicals in the new environmental regulations, the production of protective clothing and gas masks for fire fighting and first-aid work will also be banned within the EU.

The textile association has written to Svenja Schulze, the Federal Minister of environment, noting that EU environmental standards have posed a serious threat to the textile manufacturing industry. Under strict policies and regulations, a large number of manufacturers have no choice but to flee to Asia. Some even mentioned that this would lead to "de industrialization of Germany".

In Asia, due to low production cost, loose environmental regulations, mask production efficiency is amazing. In contrast, the textile industry in Germany is in a crisis of contagion and a large number of companies are at risk of bankruptcy, Neumann said. The textile market is nearly collapsing, with about 1400 textile manufacturers applying to the government for short-term job subsidies.

According to the report, whether or not the new environmental protection laws are implemented as scheduled, the cost performance of products made in Germany is ultimately inferior to that made in China. Similarly, hospitals are more willing to purchase medical protection products made in China than produced in Germany.