The public opinions are being consulted on the second draft of the law on the prevention and control of soil pollution. The public may check the revisions made to the text of the law in the second draft on the website of the National People’s Congress and deliver opinions and suggestions prior to Jan. 27.

The draft law’s first reading by Standing Committee of the NPC was in June and the second in late December. The law regulates the risks of agricultural lands by tightening the monitoring and risk control.

The second draft stipulates the following circumstances under which the agricultural plots shall be monitored closely: where the farm produce from the plot contains excessive level of pollutants; or where the plot is or was irrigated with wastewater; or where the plot is or was a site for scaled livestock and poultry breeding, or stock and landfill of solid wastes; or where the plot was a piece of industrial and mining land or witnessed any major or severe pollution accident.

Articles 10 and 16 provides for the soil pollution control standards and planning. Articles 37 and 43 provides for the scope of the survey that shall be conducted with regard to soil pollution. Articles 39 to 41 are about the risk control and remediation of agricultural lands. Article 46 provides for the list of construction plots under soil pollution risk control and restoration. Articles 53 and 61 stipulate the environmental supervision system and environmental pollution mandatory liability insurance system for the remediation activities. Article 88 provides that in case soil pollution leads to severe environmental damages, the competent environmental protection departments may lodge a lawsuit on behalf of the central government, claiming compensations for the damage.