The Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs which has compiled a list of more than 2,700 serious polluters on its website at www.ipe.org.cn said, however, that pollution by domestic companies is even more severe.

Ma Jun, director of the institute, said he collated information released by environmental watchdogs during the past three years, but this is the first time such a list has been compiled.

"I was very surprised to see well-known names in global business listed as water polluters in China," Ma said.

Some of the companies listed are joint ventures with the world's top 500 corporations.

Panasonic Battery (Shanghai) Co Ltd was named by the local environmental protection bureau in June this year and also last year for releasing wastewater not sufficiently treated.

Pepsi-Cola International (Changchun) Co Ltd was criticized for a similar reason in 2005.

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