China in pollution drive
China's environment agency is implementing a broad new strategy to monitor air pollutants, focusing on gathering better emissions data as well as using more advanced pollution monitoring and filtering technology.
Li Xinming, a senior air pollution official at the State Environmental Protection Administration, said yesterday polluters would be required to pay higher fees, an emissions trading mechanism would be set up and new coal burners would be required to install flue gas desulphurisation technology.
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China has been focusing in recent months on controlling sulphur dioxide emissions, which cause acid rain. In 2005, China discharged 25.5m tons of sulphur dioxide, the most in the world, according to Sepa. Of that amount, about 85 per cent came from industrial sources. The government has set a modest goal of cutting sulphur dioxide discharges by 10 per cent to less than 23m tons by 2010.
China's severe air pollution is mainly due to its economic dependence on coal, which accounts for about two-thirds of its energy use.
But while Sepa is gathering more information on polluting localities and industries, it often lacks the authority to punish the worst offending enterprises.
Sepa has in recent years looked to foreign governments and pollution control businesses for assistance. It is working to establish a modern emissions inventory system, which it hopes will be more meticulous and centralised.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been advising Sepa on ways to conduct industrial and vehicle emissions monitoring, suggesting ways to collect better data at sources and strengthen regulations.
Bill Wehrum, a senior EPA official, said yesterday the two sides were doing "much work" in these areas. "There are many different [emissions] control strategies under consideration."
Mr Wehrum said the EPA was advising China to develop a multi-faceted air pollution control strategy, as exists in the US, rather than focusing on reducing individual pollutants one at a time.
Burning coal discharges sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and mercury, a toxin researchers believe can travel across oceans and continents.
Sepa often does not achieve its five-year environmental targets and is often unable to force restructuring of heavily polluting industries, which can be shielded by local authorities.
中国拟加强监测空气污染
中国环境监管机构即将实施一项监测空气污染的新策略，重点加强排放数据的收集，并采用更为先进的污染监测和污染物过滤技术。
国家环保总局(State Environmental Protection Administration)负责大气污染工作的高级官员李新民昨日表示，将对排污者征收更高的费用，建立排放权交易机制，并规定新建煤粉燃烧器必须配备烟气脱硫(FGD)系统。
最近数月，中国一直关注控制二氧化硫的排放。二氧化硫是导致酸雨的罪魁祸首。国家环保总局的数据显示，2005年，中国排放的二氧化硫总量达2550万吨，为全球最高。其中，约有85%来自工业排放。中国政府已经设定了一个较为保守的目标，到2010年将二氧化硫的排放量削减10%，使其降至2300万吨以下。
美国环境保护署(EPA)一直在与中国国家环保总局合作，就如何进行工业和汽车排放监测、如何从污染源入手加强数据收集和如何强化监管等问题，向中国提供建议。
美国环保署高级官员比尔?韦尔拉姆(Bill Wehrum)昨日表示，双方正在这些领域进行“大量工作”。“双方正在考虑各种（排放）控制战略。”
韦尔拉姆表示，美国环境保护署建议中国学习美国的做法，建立一个全方位的空气污染控制战略，而非孤立地聚焦某一污染物的减排。
