AgroPages-Chinese Ministry issues guidelines for pollution sources-Agricultural news

The environmental protection standard Self-Monitoring Guidelines for Pollution Sources-General Rule was issued recently by the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) for the first time, which will become effective from June 1 this year.

The standard provides technical guidance for self-monitoring pollution sources, which serves as a technical basis for examination and approval of the waste discharge permit. This will effectively regulate the discharge activities of enterprises.

Also issued with the “General Rule” are standards governing coal-fired power plants and boilers, as well as the paper-making industry. It is anticipated that such standards will be issued for chemical and agrochemical industries at a later date after further considerations by environmental authorities.

The issuance of the three environmental standards, including the Self-Monitoring Guidelines for Pollution Sources-General Rule provides enterprises with a systematic and technical guideline for the self-monitoring actions.

Local government, upon examination and approval of waste discharge permits, ought to raise a clear requirement for self-monitoring actions of enterprises with reference to these standards, which should be specified in the discharge permit paper, and should be an integral part of the discharge permit system.