CHINA
China strengthens environmental law enforcement
After assuming his new role, Li Ganjie, China’s Minister for Environmental Protection, has put forward new ideas for the environmental inspection administration with strengthened law enforcement.
Recently, the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection circulated a notice saying that rectifying “decentralized, disorganized and pollution-generating enterprises” will be the key content for the strengthened law enforcement, where enterprises that are unable to conduct technical upgrades and fail to discharge waste up to standard shall all be shut down by the end of September. From the second half of the year, the Ministry of Environmental Protection will engage in the strict rectification of environmental problems, such that enterprises will abide by law as normal.
On July 14, the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced that by the end of June, 176,000 “decentralized, disorganized and pollution-generating enterprises” will be ferreted out in 28 cities around Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and the surrounding regions. Enterprises that are unable to conduct technical upgrades and fail to discharge waste up to standard shall all be shut down by the end of September.
Key inspection items in July and August: The completion of issuance of waste discharge licenses by the end of June in all provinces; status of installation, online running and operation of “elevated waste sources” automatic monitor equipment; status of discharge of industrial pollution source up to standard.
Key inspection items in September: By the end of September, a special emission limit shall be applied to SO2, NOx and particulate matter discharged by coal-fired boiler within the urban district; excessive emission shall be investigated and penalized. The completion status of off-peak production plan and formulation of name lists shall be checked; enterprises in key industry sectors that may not implement off-peak production system shall be granted a maximized production loan according to the undertaken tasks, subject to approval or endorsement in accordance with the Work Plan.
Key inspection items after October:
1) Completion status of shutdown of the “small decentralized, disorganized and pollution-generating enterprises” by the end of October.
2) Completion status of elimination of coal-fired boiler of 10 t/h or below, drinking water boiler, business-oriented coal furnace by the end of October.
3) Implementation of special emission limit for application to SO2, NOx and particulate matter discharged by coal-fired boiler.
4) Status of issuance of discharge license for steel and cement industries.
5) Status of discharge of industrial pollution sources up to standard.
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