A close eye on industrial wastewater

A NEW NATIONAL REGULATION on curbing and preventing water pollution has obtained approval from the State Council, China's Cabinet, and could come into effect next month. Comments:

The current laws are rather weak when it comes to penalizing enterprises that illegally discharge industrial waste into water bodies. The fines are so low that enterprises simply pay them and obtain large amounts of profit by continuing their illegal behavior. Worse, some local governments prevent environmental agencies from fining the enterprises because they also produce higher GDP. That's why water pollution is so serious.

Ma Jun, director of Institution of Public & Environmental Affairs, March 23