Economy

China cracks down on illegal sewage dumping

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-10 01:27

BEIJING - China on Friday launched a nationwide campaign to punish industrial companies illegally dumping sewage in a bid to better protect its environment.

The campaign will focus on pollution from the heavy metals industry, according to a statement released after a conference on the campaign Friday.

"This year, we will do our best to rectify companies in the heavy metal industry which are illegally dumping pollutants and strengthen supervision of key industries," the statement said.

According to Zhou Shengxian, minister of environmental protection, a similar campaign last year achieved positive results with 744 companies closed and another 841 suspended for rectification.

During last year's campaign, more than 10,000 environmental pollution cases were dealt with and 119 people were punished.

"...currently, our law enforcement and supervision for environmental protection is still in a grave situation, and the mission is arduous," Zhou said.

The campaign has been jointly initiated by nine ministerial departments, including the Ministry of Environmental Protection; the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; the National Development and Reform Commission; and the Ministry of Supervision.

On Wednesday, Wang Shancheng, a senior official with the National Development and Reform Commission, announced the country will spend 15 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2010 beefing up its sewage treatment facilities.