Warning over the treatment of solid waste
Print Edition
CHINESE legislators are warning of a grave situation over the treatment of solid waste.
“The amount of solid waste is large. Management of hazardous waste with its obvious risks must be strengthened,” said a report delivered to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress at its six-day bimonthly session.
The report came after the committee began to investigate enforcement of the Solid Waste Control Law in May.
“Each year, the country generates nearly 4 billion tons of waste from livestock and poultry, around 1 billion tons of crop straw, around 3.3 billion tons of general industrial solid waste and around 200 million tons of household waste in large and medium-sized cities,” the report said.
Disposal systems for household waste are widespread in urban areas, however, 57 percent of China’s villages don’t have one.
The report also listed problems such as polluters not fulfilling their responsibilities, and local government departments performing poorly in supervision and enforcement. The public is not fully aware of environmental protection. Over-consumption and over-packaging are common but garbage sorting is not, the report said.
Legislators suggested more education to increase public awareness of environmental protection and resource conservation. Construction of household waste disposal facilities, especially in rural areas, needs to be accelerated.
Some enterprises failed to recycle their waste or disposed of it in ways detrimental to the environment and health.
Management of hazardous waste is inadequate. Disposal of over half of hazardous waste is left to producers. Nearly a fifth of all prefecture-level cities have no central facilities for medical waste disposal.
Government officials must improve waste control, hazardous waste in particular, the report said. Supervision and law enforcement should ensure enterprises fulfill their responsibilities.
It also stressed the role of the market.
“Improving payment mechanisms and tax systems and the public-private partnership model can assist in handling waste,” it read.
“Governments of all levels should invest in science and technology as well as strengthen policy support for waste control. Universities and research institutions should use their laboratories and equipment to tackle the problem, and professional training should be stepped up.”
The report said: “The law cannot deal with the current situation and does not coordinate with other laws so it is in need of urgent revision.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
