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On November 2, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued a notice [1] to publish the Comprehensive Directory of Environmental Protection (2021) [2], which is the revision based on its 2017 version.
The 2021 Directory contains two parts. The first part is the directory of 932 products that are highly polluting and of high environmental risks (a.k.a. ‘dual high’ products), of which 159 are stipulated with manufacturing technologies that can be exempted from control. The second part is the directory of 79 priority pieces of equipment used in environmental protection.
Compared with the 2017 version, the 2021 Directory newly lists 47 ‘dual high’ products, including 16 products that are of high polluting, 1 product of high environmental risk, and 30 products of both high polluting and high environmental risk. In addition, 7 priority pieces of equipment used in soil pollution prevention and control were added.
The main features of the 2021 Directory are as follows:
1. Facilitating the precise identification and effective application of finance, taxation, customs and other departments to form a policy synergy. The products below are added into the Directory.
11 products with high emissions of air pollutants in the production process, such as petroleum coke, 1,4-butanediol, accelerator NS, etc.
13 products with high emissions of water pollutants in the production process, such as cationic starch, acetone, saccharomyces cerevisiae, etc.
7 products that have a significant impact on the soil environment, such as chromium-related color-coated panels, lead chromium container paint, etc.
2. Providing policy guidance and technical support for the technological transformation and upgrading of enterprises to guide enterprises to develop in a low-emission, low-risk and beneficial way.
Among 47 newly added ‘dual high’ products, 35 products are with manufacturing technologies that can be exempted from control since they have realized industrialized and stable operation and significantly improved environmental protection level compared with traditional processes.
3. Promoting relevant departments to strengthen the management of high-environmental risk products, and promoting the production and use of alternative products to protect human health and environmental safety.
Bisphenol A, indoor decorative paints with lead chromium color paste, plastic toys containing chlorinated paraffin plasticizers, and other products containing or emitting toxic and hazardous substances during the production process are added into the Directory.
4. Optimizing the list of priority pieces of equipment used in environmental protection.
7 priority pieces of soil pollution prevention equipment, such as crushing and screening machine, soil drenching equipment, etc. are added into the Directory, outlining the applicable scope, main indicators and technical requirements of the equipment.
Soil pollution control equipment, together with air pollution control equipment, wastewater treatment equipment, solid waste pollution control equipment, environmental monitoring equipment, etc. form a relatively complete list of priority pieces of equipment used in environmental protection.
The Directory has already been widely and directly applied by relevant departments within China to formulate other related catalogues and establish more stringent supervision on the dual high products, as well as implement relevant measures. For example, the ‘dual high’ products cannot enjoy the value-added tax (VAT) preferences for comprehensive resource utilization products and labor services. The high environmental risk products and technologies will be influenced by more stringent supervision and financial policies in accordance with the Directory.
