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On November 24, 2021, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published a notice to seek public feedbacks on the Opinions on Further Strengthening the Prevention and Control of Heavy Metal Pollution (Draft) (hereinafter referred to as ‘Draft Opinions’). The consultation will end on December 3, 2021.
Two goals are set in the Draft Opinions. One is to reduce the nationwide discharges of key heavy metal pollutants from key industries by 5% compared with 2020 by 2025, which aligns with the goal outlined in the Opinions on Further Promoting the Nationwide Battle to Prevent and Control Pollution jointly released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council earlier in November. The other goal is to establish a sound mechanism for the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution by 2035, showing China’s ambition in the governance of heavy metal pollution.
According to the Draft Opinions, the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution focuses on three aspects. More specifically:
1. Key Heavy Metal Pollutants
Lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, and thallium are the heavy metal pollutants to be prevented and controlled. Except for thallium, the discharges of other five heavy metal pollutants (lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic) are subject to total quantity limitations.
2. Key Industries
Manufacturing industry of chemical raw materials and chemical products, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing by calcium carbide method, chromium salts manufacturing, and manufacture or zinc inorganic compounds using industrial solid waste as raw materials;
Mining and dressing industry of heavy non-ferrous metal mines (including associated ores), such as mining and dressing of copper, lead, zinc, nickel, cobalt, tin, antimony, and mercury;
Heavy non-ferrous metal smelting industry (including regeneration smelting), such as copper, lead zinc, nickel cobalt, tin, antimony, and mercury smelting;
Lead storage battery manufacturing industry;
Electroplating industry; and
Leather tanning industry.
3. Key Areas
Based on requirements for improving environment quality and environmental risk prevention and control, key areas of prevention and control of heavy metal pollution are delineated and subject to further stringent managements.
The Draft Plan also stipulates benchmarks for enterprises in key industries, and specifies requirements for classified managements of heavy metal pollution reduction, systematic environmental governance of heavy metal industries, treatments of historical issues related to heavy metals, and supervision and enforcement concerning heavy metals, etc. Main tasks are summarized as the followings:
Eliminate backward production capacity involving heavy metals in accordance with regulations and catalogues, e.g., Catalogue for Guiding Industry Restructuring.
Prohibit new construction of the polyvinyl chloride production process by calcium carbide method using mercury.
Include heavy metal pollutant discharge units into the management of pollutant discharge permits, including the application, modification and renewal of pollutant discharge permits. By the end of June 2022, pollutant discharge units shall specify the new total discharge amount of heavy metal pollutants in the pollutant discharge permit.
Ensure that the amount of mercury used in the production of polyvinyl chloride by calcium carbide method per ton shall not exceed 49.14 grams.
Strengthen the source control of heavy metal pollutants in non-ferrous metal smelting industries, reducing the use of ore materials containing high levels of cadmium, arsenic, or thallium.
Strengthen environmental management of materials stacking yards and waste residue yards in enterprises of key industries, taking measures to prevent leakage, loss, and scattering, etc.
Revise standards for pollutants discharges related to lead and zinc, electroplating and other industries and accelerate the preparation of technical specifications for the installation, operation and acceptance of online monitoring of heavy metals in wastewater.
Include enterprises in key industries and related facilities such as stacking yards, tailings ponds, etc. into the scope of ‘Dual Random & One Public’ supervision.
The whole official document can be downloaded here.
