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The new national standard for the safe service life of household appliances will be officially implemented on January 1, 2026!

Time：

2025-12-10

GB/T 21097-2025 "General rules for safe service life and recycling of household and similar electrical appliances" will be officially implemented on January 1, 2026. The standard stipulates that the product's service life shall not be less than the "three guarantees" period of the main (spare) components, and requires producers to use clear text or symbols in the product or manual to indicate the service life and risk warning information for expired use, while strengthening the requirements for recycling technology.

GB/T 21097-2025 "General rules for safe service life and recycling of household and similar electrical appliances" will be officially implemented on January 1, 2026. The new standard will replace the current standard GB/T 21097.1-2007 "General Principles for Safe Service Life and Recycling of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances", and is the first revision of the current standard 18 years after its publication.

The new standard stipulates that the service life of products shall not be less than the "three guarantees" period of the main (spare) components, and requires producers to use clear text or symbols in the product or manual to indicate the service life and risk warning information for expired use, while strengthening the requirements for recycling technology.

Standard Requirements

1. The product must ensure stability and reliability within the set service life

Producers should comprehensively consider the influencing factors of the entire process of household appliance production, use, maintenance, etc., and use risk management and risk assessment to develop effective preventive measures to ensure that products can be used stably and reliably within the set period of time.

2. The service life of the product shall not be less than the "three guarantees" period of the main (spare) components

The determination of the safe service life should be based on objective statistical data and scientific experimental methods, and should not be lower than the three guarantee validity period of the main (spare) components specified in the "Regulations on the Responsibility for Repair, Replacement, and Return of Household Appliances", ensuring the scientific and reasonable setting of the service life.

3. Clearly label the product's service life and risk warning for expired use

Producers should use clear text or symbols to indicate the service life and risk warning information for expired use in the product or manual through self declaration.

4. The starting time for calculating the product's service life is the date of first purchase or professional installation

The starting time of the safe usage period is based on the consumer's first purchase date, and for products that require professional installation, it is calculated from the date of completion of the first installation.

5. The design phase of the product should fully consider recycling and reuse

In the design and production process, the environmental impact and resource consumption of recycling are evaluated, and environmentally friendly materials and processes that are easy to recycle and low pollution are prioritized to improve the renewable utilization of products from the source.

6. The recycling stage of products should prioritize reuse

Strictly follow the important principle of "reuse before recycling" in the recycling process, and maximize the reuse of components and parts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is "safe service life" equal to "product life" or "warranty period"?

Not exactly the same. The 'safe service life' is a 'bottom line' period based on safety considerations, which means that during this period, there will be no safety accidents caused by component aging or other factors during normal use. The 'product lifespan' is usually longer, but after exceeding the safe lifespan, although the product may still function, its safety risks will significantly increase. The "three guarantees" warranty period is the producer's commitment to product quality, usually much shorter than the safe use period. The relationship between the three can be understood as: warranty period<safe service life ≤ product lifespan.

Q2: Do household appliances have to be discarded if they exceed their safe usage period?

It's not mandatory scrapping. The standard aims to serve as a reminder rather than a mandatory requirement. Exceeding the age limit means that the product has entered a high-risk period, and it is recommended that consumers replace it in a timely manner. If continued to be used, the frequency of inspection and maintenance should be increased, and any abnormal signs should be closely monitored. The best option is to participate in the "trade in" program through formal channels for recycling and disposal.

Q3: How can companies scientifically set the age limit? Can consumers be trusted?

The standard requires enterprises to have "objective statistical analysis data or experimental methods as a basis" (Section 5.3.1). This means that companies cannot set it out of thin air, and need to conduct a large number of durability tests, accelerated aging tests, and scientifically evaluate it in combination with after-sales maintenance data. With the implementation of standards and the strengthening of market supervision, the age of enterprise labeling will become increasingly credible.

This revision clarifies the safety service life requirements and labeling of household appliances, allowing consumers to have a clearer understanding of the usage status of their own appliances, timely replace old equipment, and avoid safety hazards caused by equipment aging. At the same time, the new standard emphasizes the requirements for the recycling technology of waste household appliances, which helps promote the green and circular development of the household appliance industry and reduce environmental pollution.

After the standard is released and implemented, it will help promote the transformation of China's home appliance quality and safety management mode from "post supervision" to "full cycle prevention and control", connect production, consumption, and recycling links, and provide an operable practical path for building a green, low-carbon, and circular economy system.

As a professional third-party testing and certification service organization, Jiayu Testing has qualifications such as CMA, CNAS, CBTL, and has a professional testing technology team equipped with advanced instruments and equipment. It is proficient in various regulatory standards and specializes in providing one-stop testing and certification services for various electronic and electrical products (such as home appliances, wireless communication products, smart wearables, smart home products, information technology products, audio and video products, lighting products, component products, etc.) to ensure that products meet relevant regulatory requirements. Welcome to contact us at 400-9269-886!