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Ministry of Ecology and Environment: Total emission controls will be imposed on five heavy metal pollutants.
2022-02-04
To win the tough battle against pollution and further strengthen controls on heavy metal emissions, thereby effectively preventing and mitigating environmental risks associated with heavy metals, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has drafted the “Opinions on Further Strengthening the Prevention and Control of Heavy Metal Pollution (Draft for Public Comment).”
The draft for public comment proposes to further strengthen the priorities for preventing and controlling heavy-metal pollution: specifically, key heavy-metal pollutants. The priority pollutants subject to control are lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, and thallium, with total‑quantity controls imposed on emissions of the five metals—lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic. The key industries include: the mining and beneficiation of heavy nonferrous metals (including associated ores) — encompassing copper, lead–zinc, nickel–cobalt, tin, antimony, and mercury mining and processing; the smelting of heavy nonferrous metals — covering the smelting of copper, lead–zinc, nickel–cobalt, tin, antimony, and mercury, including secondary smelting; the manufacture of lead‑acid batteries; the electroplating industry; the chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing sector — including calcium‑carbide‑based polyvinyl chloride production, chromate production, and the production of inorganic zinc compounds using industrial solid waste as feedstock; and the leather tanning and finishing industry, among six sectors. Key areas will be designated for heavy-metal pollution prevention and control based on the needs of environmental quality improvement and environmental risk management.
The draft for public comment sets out the main objectives for further strengthening the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution: By 2025, the industrial structure in key sectors will be further optimized; nationwide emissions of priority heavy metal pollutants in these sectors will decline by more than 5% compared with 2020 levels; environmental management in key industries will be further enhanced; and a number of pressing legacy heavy metal contamination issues will be addressed. By 2035, a sound and long-term mechanism for preventing and controlling heavy metal pollution will be established, with comprehensive improvements in heavy metal regulatory capacity, pollution remediation capabilities, and risk‑prevention and control capacities, ensuring that environmental risks associated with heavy metals are effectively managed.
The draft for public comment sets forth the key tasks for further strengthening the prevention and control of heavy-metal pollution: enforcing stringent access standards to optimize the industrial structure and spatial layout involving heavy metals; implementing tiered and categorized approaches to continuously reduce emissions of heavy-metal pollutants; adopting a systematic approach to pollution control and enhancing environmental management in heavy-metal‑related industries; intensifying efforts to advance the remediation of legacy issues associated with heavy metals; improving institutional frameworks and bolstering regulatory enforcement on heavy metals; and ensuring accountability to foster broad public participation in collaborative governance.
— Reprinted from “Henan Nonferrous Metals Brief, Issue No. 11”
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