Tackling lake pollution becomes government priority

Japanese businessman Katsutoshi Yoshinaga was discussing the possibility of cooperating with a manager from a Chinese environment protection company. Standing beside him was a big tank containing goldfish.

This, however, was no ordinary fish tank. It was a model for the tackling of lake pollution. It contained a device known as an ozonizer, which sends bubbles of ozone to the lakebed, thereby speeding up the oxidization and decomposition of waste matter that contains microorganisms. It helps purify the water.

Yoshinaga is president of Marine Giken Co Ltd. Having been a fisherman for decades and having witnessed the deterioration of water quality in the fishing grounds, he set up a company in 1987 with the goal of restoring the water to its natural condition without using noxious chemicals.

He visited the exhibition at the 13th World Lake Conference that opened last month in Wuhan to explore the business opportunities created by China's determination to tackle lake contamination.

"We got our product patent in China six years ago. Our chance came when the Chinese government pledged its determination to deal with lake pollution," he said.

Chinese senior officials called for enhanced measures to curb lake pollution and facilitate lake rehabilitation at the conference.

Lakes, a key element in sustaining ecological balance, suffered during rapid industrial growth and increasing human activities. Many were contaminated and made smaller, threatening people's livelihoods and welfare, said Chen Zhili, vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Zhou Shengxian, China's minister for environmental protection, described China's water environment as being "serious". He called for more efforts to improve the ecological functions of the aquatic environment.

The First China International Lake Management and Technology and Equipment Exhibition is an important part of the conference, which has attracted more than 1,000 government officials and experts from more than 40 countries.

Many environment enterprises home and abroad took advantage of the conference to promote their products and reputation.

The Hach Company, based in the United States, manufactures and distributes analytical instruments and reagents used to test the quality of water and other aqueous solutions.

It has set up branches in more than 10 Chinese cities since it launched its first office in Beijing.

"The Chinese market has become one of the most important markets for Hach. Local environment departments and large chemical plants from Hubei and Yunan provinces have held talks with us," said Mei Dong, a manager from Hach's Beijing office.

Sun Yongjian, who received his doctorate degree in material science in the US, set up the Nanjing Frontier Environmental Technology Co Ltd in March in east China's Jiangsu province.

"Our product is cost effective and is suitable for lake clean-ups. A Japanese company has shown interest in our technology," Sun said.

Sun regarded the Chinese environment protection market as important and hopes the government could be more transparent in its procurement policies since most of the environment protection programs are initiated by the authorities.

"The government should support private environmentally-friendly companies. Let their effectiveness decide which survive," he said.

Xinhua

(China Daily 12/28/2009 page5)