China sets up lifelong accountability system to control soil pollution

BEIJING - China will carry out a lifelong accountability system for polluters to arrest worsening soil pollution.

From July, polluters, both companies and individuals, will be responsible for restoring contaminated land, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Wednesday.

Before turning contaminated land into residences or other public facilities like business venues and schools, land users should treat and restore the land first, according to the ministry.

The restoration will be subject to third-party assessment and related information should be open to the public for no less than two months. If the land still fails to meet national standards, environmental authorities can disapprove land use applications.

The State Council released an action plan to improve soil quality and ensure safe agricultural products in May 2016, pledging to toughen monitoring, promote legislation on pollution control, enhance land management and increase support for research.