Plan rolls out to cut pollution by farms

China has rolled out a comprehensive action plan to promote the utilization of most farm waste and reverse the increases of fertilizer and pesticide use by 2020, authorities said, as the country promotes better rural garbage and wastewater treatment.

After receiving approval from the State Council, the action plan was published on Thursday by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The plan says that by 2020, the use of major fertilizers and pesticides should start to decrease, while 85 percent of leftover stubble and straw at harvest time should be used as fertilizer or as a heating source, and 80 percent of plastic mulch film should be recycled.