On May 9, 23 air pollution inspection teams checked 303 enterprises (institutions) and found environmental problems in 206 of them, accounting for 68 percent of the total. Of the problematic enterprises, 65 are small and random polluters, 34 failed to install pollution control facilities, 22 failed to keep such facilities in normal operations, 10 had VOCs control problems, and two emitted excessive air pollutants.

On the night of May 9, Vice Minister Zhao Yingmin headed the first tour inspection team and arrived in Tangshan Municipality of Hebei Province in North China. On May 10, Zhao and his team conducted field inspections on the desulfurization process of the sintering machines in Shougang Qian’an Iron and Steel Company and in Qian’an Jiujiang Wire Company, as well as the shelter project of the wire company’s raw materials plant. On behalf of Minister Chen Jining, Zhao sent regards to the air pollution inspectors, gave full recognition to their work progress, and required them to make greater efforts.

Zhao pointed out that the Party committees and governments at all levels should substantially honor their equal responsibilities for protecting the environment, implement the “one position with dual responsibilities” system, and rectify the environmental problems that were either put on the Ministry’s monitoring list or handed over by the inspection teams. He required that the local areas attach great importance to treating the small and random polluters, canvass them carefully and make sure to get substantial effects.

Moreover, the other nine tour inspection teams sent by the Ministry will soon arrive in target cities for a weeklong inspection.