China gets tough over smog

Zhang Jinran

China Daily

Publication Date : 23-12-2014

China's top legislature will review the first amendment to the Law on Air Pollution Prevention and Control since 2000.

The amendment is a necessary move to improve the national campaign to control air pollution, which has more sources today, the environmental protection minister said on Monday.

"The previous amendment is not effective in controlling current multiple pollution sources, and isn't working in ongoing efforts," Zhou Shengxian said on Monday while handing in the new draft to the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

The new draft was finished amid growing calls throughout the country for controls on air pollution, he said.

Based on the ministry's annual report on air quality, only three of China's major 74 cities in 2013 had air pollution within acceptable national standards. The average number of days with smog in the country in 2013 was 35.9, the most since 1961.

Coal-consumption sources contribute more to air pollution than they did 14 years ago, with such sources now including industrial production, Zhou said.

View original post here:
China gets tough over smog