Expert: Pollution control should be tailored to future

Considering the high risks and costs associated with pollution, China should carry out soil pollution measures with land planning in mind, instead of resorting solely to remediation, according to a senior environmental expert.

"In urban areas, soil pollution control should be done based on general planning of the city, instead of simply conducting remediation," said Hu Qing, a professor of environmental sciences and engineering at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen.

Many polluted areas could be built into concrete-paved parking lots or parks covered with clay, for example. Even without remediation, such polluted areas will not pose major hazards. By saving the high remediation cost and preventing second-time pollution, such work could also improve the well-being of people, even though long-term monitoring would need to be carried out, Hu said.