Chinese report by Gao Nan, CENEWS

BEIJING, Jun. 29-The draft Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the draft law) was released on the website of China’s top legislature to consult public opinions.

The general public may either access the www.npc.gov.cn to offer their opinions or send them to the Commission of Legislative Affairs under the Standing Committee of the NPC (Address: No.1, Qianmen West Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100805. Please note on the envelop that the letter is about the opinions on the draft soil pollution control law). The deadline is Jul. 27, 2017.

It is learned that the draft law aims to introduce the toughest environmental protection regimes, with improving the environmental quality at the core. It provides the administrative institutions, the government’s responsibilities, and the targets and performance evaluation for the prevention and control of soil pollution. The draft law stipulates greater responsibility of the government, the industry, and the public for fighting soil pollution. It specifies the generic rights and obligations of the organizations and individuals, and establishes an institutional framework in which the person(s) liable for soil pollution, the land user(s), and the government assume the soil pollution control responsibilities in descending order.

The draft law clearly requires establishing a framework of soil pollution control standards, and stipulates that a national survey shall be conducted once in a decade and that the central government shall introduce the soil pollution condition monitoring system.

Especially, the draft law notes that considerations on soil pollution control shall be fully taken into account in making and revising the land use plans and urban and rural development plans, in order to reasonably determine the land use purposes. In the meantime, the soil pollution control efforts at both national and local levels shall be incorporated into the environmental protection plans, with specific plans needed for certain localities. The priority shall be given to conserve the soils in uncontaminated farmlands, woodlands, gardens, pastures, and drinking water sources. The soils in land uses for ecological purposes and unutilized lands shall be protected.