This month, the Chinese government revealed the country’s first official plan to manage hazardous waste. A goal of the plan is to establish the amount and source of hazardous waste produced. In 2007, the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced conflicting figures on the amount of hazardous waste for which industrial sources were responsible. That year, a census on pollution sources found that industrial pollution sources accounted for 45 million metric tons of hazardous waste, but “The State of Environment in China in 2007” annual report said the figure was closer to 10 million tons. June’s annual report did not include the amount of hazardous waste from industrial sources. Another goal of the plan is to reduce the environmental impact of hazardous waste by 2015, when hazardous waste is predicted to surpass 60 million tons. The country’s disposal facilities can only accommodate 23 million tons. The plan also calls for controlling pollution from chromium residue, which is estimated to have contaminated 15 million cubic meters of soil. Another aspect of the plan is to complete the building of 334 disposal facilities for hazardous and medical waste that were slated to be finished by 2006. The CNY 26.1 billion ($4.2 billion) plan will consist of 14 key programs.

Source: China Daily