Request a Demo
China 2019 work priorities for environmental management of solid waste and chemicals [1] will focus on “system building”, “two major reforms”, “two special campaigns” and “four key tasks”.
System Building
China is to accelerate the revision of the Law on Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste [2] and the Measures for the Administration of Permit for Operation of Dangerous Wastes [3[. In addition, China is to expedite the revision of rules and standards, including GB5085 Identification Standards for Hazardous Wastes, HJ/T 298 Technical Specifications on Identification for Hazardous Waste, and the formulation of the Technical Specification for Pollution Control of Hazardous Solid Waste in Key Industries. A system of differentiated management of hazardous wastes will be built up based on the classification of the waste.
Two Major Reforms
Two major reforms will be promoted in 2019, including a ban on waste imports and pilot on "waste-free cities". MEE and other authorities have jointly revised the Management Catalogue of Imported Solid Wastes, which expanded the scope of solid wastes subject to import ban. In 2018, China imported a total of 22.63 million tons of solid waste, 46.5% less than the last year. China’s waste catalogue went into effect as scheduled, and based on future plans China will realize a total ban on waste imports by the end of 2020.
In Dec 2018, the State Council launched the pilot "waste-free cities" plan [4] and in 2019 the MEE will screen out pilot cities and explore ways to establish a systematic framework including goals and metrics to guide and assess the development of "waste-free cities".
Two Special Campaigns
China is undertaking huge anti solid waste pollution campaigns. In 2019, the MEE will continue to carry out investigations and rectifications on solid waste in key river basins and regions such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Local governments should establish and improve its whistle-blower system and associated rewards, and resolutely curb the illegal transfer and dumping of hazardous wastes.
Another special campaign will focus on pollution control of waste lead-acid batteries, including implementing action plans for pollution control, establishing accountability system for manufacturers, organizing pilot programs for centralized collection and trans-regional transport of lead-acid batteries, etc.
Four Key Tasks
The work arrangement will focus on the following 4 key areas:
(1) Environmental supervision and control of solid waste
Accelerate construction of facilities for centralized disposal of hazardous wastes at local levels
Fully implement the “duplicate forms for transfer of hazardous waste”, and accelerate the nationwide networking of the solid waste management information
Accelerate the revision of pollution control standards for storage, incineration and landfill of hazardous wastes, and carry out scientific and technological breakthroughs in risk control
Strengthen environmental oversight of bulk industrial solid waste
Promote the revision of pollution control standards for incineration and landfill of household garbage
Implement strict approval for disposal of waste electrical and electronic products
Work out a comprehensive plan to address white pollution
(2) Risk assessment and control of chemicals
Accelerate legislation on environmental risk assessment and control of chemical substances[5]
Revise the Measures for the Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances (MEP Order 7) [6]
Carry out environmental and health risk assessment of priority chemicals and implement control measures for them (the first batch of priority controlled chemicals available here [7])
(3) Prevention and control of heavy metal pollution
Formulate rules for evaluating emission quantity of major heavy metals and accelerate the implementation of emission reduction projects for heavy metals.
Investigate enterprises involved in the heavy metal industry, make and dynamically update the companies list and promote industry reshuffle
Implement the Opinions on Strengthening Pollution Prevention and Control in Heavy Metal Industry [8]
(4) Implementation of international environmental conventions, e.g. Stockholm Convention on PoPs, Minamata Convention on Mercury, Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Ensuring effective and proper solid waste and chemical management is critical to the achievement of China’s environmental goals. We can expect detailed policies and corresponding changes in environmental management requirements to begin in 2019, which should go a long way to improving China’s environment.
