中国启动全国化工厂检查

Zhang Lijun, Vice Minister of Environmental Protection, announced that the Ministry of Environmental Protection will no longer accept applications for new projects related to the production and storage of dangerous chemicals outside industrial zones.

Chinese law states that a factory cannot be built without an environmental impact assessment report from the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Zhang did not say when the ministry will resume accepting applications, but admitted that the country faced worsening chemical pollution.

"First, the rapid expansion of chemical production and usage puts huge pressure on the environment. The fact is, China is already a major producer and consumer of chemical products. Second, our technology still lags behind, and our structure is not the most ideal. Small chemical plants are everywhere, and consequently, we see a high percentage of low-end products that are highly toxic and easily cause pollution."

The vice minister said the country will raise the environmental standards of chemical plants and tighten penalties and fines on chemical factory owners who break the law.

"Plants that fail to comply with relative policies, produce sub-standard products, or use out-of-date manufacturing devices, will be required to shut down temporarily or permanently. And the ones that have done major harm to the environment will be shut down permanently."

Figures from the ministry show that 70 percent of the 49 major environmental emergencies that occurred between 2006 and 2010 concerned the safety of drinking water. More than 20 environmental emergencies related to drinking water have been reported so far this year.

In resposne, Zhang said the authorities will particularly focus on chemical plants located along the rivers, lakes and the coast, adding that harsher penalties will be imposed on those illegally dumping chemicals.

A serious pollution incident was exposed in Qujing City of southwest China's Yunnan Province late last month. A local chemical factory was found to have illegally dumped over 5,000 metric tons of chromium-contaminated waste near a reservoir and on hills from April to June.

For CRI, I'm Liu Yan.