China announces soil pollution controls

BEIJING -- An action plan on tackling soil pollution in China was released Tuesday.

The Action Plan for Soil Pollution Prevention and Control aims to improve soil quality, ensure safe agricultural products and a healthy living environment for people, according to the State Council, China's cabinet.

The document said China will curb worsening soil pollution by 2020, put soil pollution risks under control by 2030, and form a virtuous cycle in the ecosystem by 2050.

The country is already carrying out soil pollution surveys, promoting legislation on soil pollution prevention and control, enhancing land management, protecting uncontaminated, supervising pollution sources, treating and restoring polluted soil, and increasing support for research in environmental protection.

This is the third pollution action plan issued by the cabinet, following ones targeting air and water pollution.