China reinforces pollution campaign to improve environment
The Ministry, in a statement on its website, set stringent targets on air, water and soil quality.
PETROTAHLI-SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China will comprehensively strengthen environmental protection and reduce air pollution so as to achieve overall improvement in ecological quality, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said late on Monday.
The Ministry, in a statement on its website, set stringent targets on air, water and soil quality.
It said by 2020 major cities should achieve a minimum of 80% of days of clean air quality, at least 70% of its nation-wide water should be of good quality, and around 90% of the polluted soil can be used safely.
Similarly by 2020 emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide will fall by more than 15% from 2015’s level.
Local governments are required to promulgate their own plans to achieve these goals.
Shutdowns of polluting factories and elimination of overcapacity in industries like steel and cement will be accelerated.
Some petrochemical plants like coatings and adhesives producers have encountered increasing force-shutdowns from environment authorities.
“The government has installed an online emission-monitoring system in our plants. Once there’s a warning [on exceeding emissions limit], we’re ordered to suspend production.
"This disrupts our operations, our suppliers and our users as well,” said a Hebei-based additives maker.
