Beijing polluters hit with $15m in fines

Beijing issued fines totaling 106 million yuan ($15.6 million) to polluting companies in the first half of this year, according to figures from the capital’s Environmental Protection Bureau.

The bureau said it filed 1,811 cases of environment violations and polluting activities, roughly the same number as the first half of 2017.

Han Jianguo, its deputy head of supervision, said eight cases this year involved criminal offenses, leading to the detention of several individuals by police.

He said the bureau will continue to fight illegal pollution, especially by restaurants and other businesses closely linked with public daily life.