They are at the cutting edge for manufacturing household appliances like washing machines, TVs and fridges and export millions to Europe each year.

But when it comes to recycling the Chinese are behind the times.

So a delegation of technical experts, business leaders and academics from the world's fastest-growing economy travelled to Sussex to learn from recycling experts MDJ Light Brothers how they could make their country greener.

If the communist republic does not comply with new EU waste and recycling regulations it could lose billions of pounds on exports and international trade.

According to the new WEEE directive which came into force in July, all waste electrical goods have to be disposed of in an environmentally-sound way.

The people who manufacture, brand, import and sell electrical goods are responsible for disposing of their products once the consumer has finished with them.

MDJ Light Brothers, in Greystone Quarry, Southerham, near Lewes, is one of the South East's largest processors of waste electronic and electrical equipment.

The Chinese delegation watched how the company processed and recycled televisions, computer monitors, fridges and other electrical equipment.

The party of nine included representatives from three Chinese universities, the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, manufacturers, the China Institute of Home Electrical Appliances, and the China Institute of Standardisation.

Light Brothers' national recycling manager Phil Burgon said: "We were very happy to share our knowledge, expertise and opinion with the Chinese delegation.

"They seemed impressed by our use of technology, as well as good old-fashioned muscle power, to collect, sort, process, segregate and market recyclable materials."

He added: "Reducing waste is a worldwide challenge and Chinese manufacturers have a role to play in adapting products to make recycling easier and more efficient."

Mr Burgon called for greater standardisation of components in computers and clearer identification of the different types of plastics that make up electrical equipment.

China has overtaken the US as the world's biggest producer of carbon dioxide, according to a report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

But the Chinese are quick to point out the hypocrisy of the West blaming China for manufacturing goods to meet the demand from Western consumers.

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