China takes tougher stance on tannery polluters
The leather trade is among several that have been hit-listed by China’s Environmental Protection Administration in a new drive to curb industrial pollution.
Speaking at the recent launch of the campaign, the head of the administration, Xie Zhenhua, said the environmental damage wrought by businesses flouting the rules had gone on for far too long. He said commercial organisations of all kinds could expect to see the regulations much more vigorously applied and much stiffer penalties enforced on those who break them.
A recent study conducted in one of the worst-affected regions found that 30 per cent of polluting enterprises previously shut down by the administration were illegally trying to restart production. In the first four months of this year, about 50,000 people found involved in illegal pollution have been punished, Zhou said. "It's obvious that illegal activities are rebounding and (that) they are rampant in some regions. If we do not take concrete actions to tighten control over them, the progress we have been made will be ruined.''
Under the new campaign, small polluting enterprises such as those involved paper-making and leather processing plants, will be closed and their facilities dismantled, Xie said. Investigations will also be conducted to ensure that those operations that have been shut down are not given the opportunity to start up again.
