The Environmental Protection Law at China’s environmental legislative system
China’s system of environmental legislation is established based on the Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China that was enacted in 1989. Under this law, other separate laws have been enacted for controlling pollution. Some of these laws are as follows:
China updated the Environmental Protection Law in 2015. This was the first major revisions. The revised law includes stricter punishments on polluters. It also allows non-governmental organizations to file environmental lawsuits against violators. The National People’s Congress revised other laws, including the Law on the Prevention and control of Air Pollution in 2018 and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution in 2017. The Congress also adopted the Law on the Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution on August 31, 2018.
Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution was enacted in 1987 and amended in 1995, 2000, 2015 and 2018. This Law is formulated in order to prevent and control atmospheric pollution, protect and improve people’s environment and the ecological environment, safeguard human health, and promote the sustainable development of economy and society. The concentration of the discharged pollutants may not exceed the standards prescribed by the State and local authorities. The quality standards for products containing volatile organic compounds, such as coal, petroleum coke, biomass fuel, and coatings, fireworks and firecrackers, boilers, etc., are developed and the atmospheric environment protection requirements are specified.
The environmental legislative framework to protect the air pollution is as follows.
Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution
Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution is formulated in order to prevent and control water pollution, protecting and improving the environment, and safeguarding the safety of drinking water.
The environmental legislative framework to protect the water pollution is as follows.
Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution
Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste is the national primary law governing municipal and industrial waste management. This law lays out basic requirements for solid waste disposal for industrial facilities. It requires the specified facilities to get approval from the local environmental protection bureau for waste disposal plans prior to construction. The bureaus are also responsible for issuing permits for the collection, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.
The environmental legislative framework on waste management is as follows.
Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste
Industrial chemicals are mainly regulated by the following regulations in China:
“Decree of the State Council No 591 Regulations on Safe Management of Hazardous Chemicals”
“Order of the Ministry of Environmental Protection No. 7 Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances”
Pursuant to article 15 of the Decree No 591, manufacturers of hazardous chemicals shall provide safety data sheet on the hazardous chemicals that are produced, post or affix a chemical safety label on the package. The contents in safety data sheet and chemical safety labels should meet the requirements of relevant national standards. The relevant standards in China are as follows:
On April 29, 2020, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (MEE) issued the final Measures on Registrations of New Chemical Substances for Environmental Management under Ministry Order No. 12. The new Measures replaces the current 2010 version and comes into force on January 1, 2021, when the Order No.7 will be repealed.
Same as the current version, the new Measures require manufacturers and importers to register new chemical substances with MEE before placing the new chemical substances on the Chinese market. They also introduce a notification process for new uses of existing listed substances.
Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals (Revision draft for solicitation of comments)
In order to strengthen the safety management of hazardous chemicals, prevent and reduce hazardous chemical accidents, the Ministry of Emergency Management organized the consultation on the draft of the “Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals”, which had been open to the public comments until 1 November, 2020. If approved, it will replace Decree No. 591.
The draft law is applicable to the safety management of the production, storage, use, operation, transportation and disposal of hazardous chemicals. It consists of 11 chapters (Article 137), and based on the lessons learned from the explosion accident, “Safety of hazardous chemical disposal” etc. was added to clarify the responsibility for safety supervision of the disposal (Disposal safety). The State implements a hazardous chemical registration system.
Framework of EHS laws and regulations in China.
China
On June 28, 2023, the Solid Waste Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, which is in charge of the application and registration of new chemical substances …
China
On July 7, 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China released the draft “Circular on pollutant discharge permit management for industrial noise” for public comment. The deadline for …
China
On July 18, 2023, the China Household Electrical Appliances Association published an association standard called “Hair Dryers” (T/CHEAA 0022-2023), which came into effect immediately. This new standard contains terminology, technical …
China
On July 18, 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published draft 2023 guidelines on the development of green and low-carbon standards for the telecommunication industry. The ministry is …
China
On June 29, 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce, General Administration of Customs, and State Administration for Market Regulation jointly announced a …
China
On July 28, 2023, the China Electronics Standardization Institute published a draft amendment to the recommended national standard “Requirements on management systems for restricted substances used in electrical and electronic …
China
On June 30, 2023, the Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau of Beijing, China, published technical guidelines on noise pollution control for fixed equipment. These guidelines have been developed by the …
China
On July 7, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published draft experimental measures on the trading of voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction credits. The ministry is accepting comments on …
China
On July 20, 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China issues a notice to start collecting information on the production, uses, import/export, alternative substances and alternative technologies of …
China
On July 7, 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China released the draft “Circular on pollutant discharge permit management for industrial noise” for public comment. The deadline for …
China
On June 26, 2023, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and Standardization Administration submitted to the WTO a TBT notification of a draft revised mandatory national standard titled “Classification and …
China
On June 26, 2023, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and Standardization Administration submitted to the WTO a TBT notification of a draft revised mandatory national standard titled the “List …
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On June 26, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published draft “guiding opinions” on promoting green, low-carbon risk management and soil remediation of contaminated land to seek comments.
China
On June 7, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published a national ecology and environment standard called the Guideline on Available Techniques of Water Pollution Prevention and Control for …
China
On May 22, 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released a draft of 2023 guidelines on the development of standards for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in the …
China
On May 26, 2023, China’s Ministry of Commerce, National Development and Reform Commission and two other government departments announced a 2023 program to promote the purchase of green smart home …
China
On June 7, 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published draft criteria for “standards-compliant” remanufacturers of electromechanical products1. The ministry is accepting comments on the draft through June …
China
On June 6, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Commerce, and General Administration of Customs published the eighth installment of the list of goods prohibited for import …
China
In May 2023, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management announced a program where inspections of companies will be conducted regarding the registration, assessment and classification-based management of chemicals. Inspection items, the …
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On June 16, 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced a plan to develop a mandatory national standard that sets limits on the concentrations of hazardous substances in …
China
On May 12, 2023, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment published revised municipal measures on the registration application and registration plates of non-road mobile machinery. The measures came …
China
On June 16, 2023, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China released the following two draft standards to implement the GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling …
China
On June 7, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published a draft “Circular on Promoting the Standardized Environmental Management of Hazardous Waste”. The ministry accepted comments on the draft …
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On June 8, 2023, China’s National Development and Reform Commission published draft rules for water efficiency labeling of faucets. The commission is accepting comments on the draft through July 8, …
China
On May 22, 2023, the All-China Environment Federation, a Chinese nonprofit organization, published an association standard called the Guidelines of Occupational Health Protection for Risk Control and Remediation Projects of …
China
On, May 22, 2023, the All-China Environment Federation, a Chinese nonprofit organization, published an association standard called the Technical Guideline for Ecological Risk Management and Control of Heavy Metal Contaminated …
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On June 14, 2023, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management released a draft mandatory national standard (GB) called the Technical Specification of Work Safety in Confined Spaces. The ministry is accepting …
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On June 16, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment publishes on its website a draft 2023 List of Toxic Chemicals Strictly Restricted in China1. The ministry accepted comments on …
China
On June 12, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published a list of recommended replacements for ozone-depleting substances.
China
On February 9, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published a national ecology and environment standard called “Stationary Source Emission—Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Nonmethane Hydrocarbons” (HJ 1286-2023), which …
China
On May 25, 2023, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council of China released an outline of the national river network development plan. The …
China
On June 6, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Emergency Management and eight other government departments issued an announcement of environmental …
China
On May 10, 2023, China’s Ministry of Commerce published measures on the use and reporting of single-use plastic products in commerce1, which will come into effect June 20, 2023, replacing …
China
On April 28, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published on its website a draft of a new national ecology and environment standard for the nomenclature of chemicals relevant …
China
On May 8, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and four other government departments announced that the country will fully implement Phase 6b of the “CHINA 6” national vehicle …
China
On May 19, 2023, the Hazardous Substance Detection Methods Sub-Technical Committee of China’s National Electrical and Electronic Product and System Environment Standardization Technical Committee1 held a meeting in Beijing, China, …
China
In April 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Water Resources and National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced a program …
China
On May 10, 2023, China’s Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration published on its website an updated white list of goods that are not prohibited for transportation by ship in the Yangtze …
China
On April 14, 2023, the Zhejiang Province Brand Creation Association1, a Chinese organization based in Zhejiang province, published an association standard called “Household Small Table Fan” (T/ZZB 2979-2022) on the …
China
On May 16, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment published Measures on Ecological and Environmental Administrative Penalties, which will come into effect July 1, 2023. These measures are a …
China
On April 23, 2023, the Shanghai Chemical Industry Economic and Technological Development Zone Enterprise Association1, a Chinese organization based in Shanghai, published an association standard called the Regulations for the …
China
On May 16, 2023, China’s capital city Beijing announced a program for new pollutant control, which has been developed based on a circular on action plans for new pollutant control …
China
On April 14, 2023, the Zhejiang Province Brand Creation Association1, a Chinese organization based in Zhejiang province, announced an association standard called “Lithium Ion Battery Powered Rotary Hammers” (T/ZZB 2968-2022) …
China
On March 30, 2023, the Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau of Beijing, China, published a municipal standard, “Technical Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment—Integrated Circuit Manufacturing” (DB11/T 2080-2023), which will come …
China
On April 1, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued a circular on the Yellow River Protection Law1 for its dissemination and rigorous enforcement. The law, which came into …
China
On April 13, 2023, the Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, and China Resource Recycling Association jointly published a report on …
China
On March 3, 2023, China’s Hebei province announced a program for carbon emissions peaking in the industry sector. This program includes specific targets for 2025, such as reducing energy consumption …
China
On April 24, 2023, China’s Standardization Administration, nine other government departments and People’s Bank jointly published guidelines on the development of standards for carbon emissions peaking and carbon neutrality. The …
China
Local governments of China are launching programs for new pollutant control one after another, in response to the national new pollutant control program announced by the State Council May 24, …
China
On March 30, 2023, China’s National Registration Center for Chemicals held a public relations conference on chemical regulations in Qingdao city. In the conference, the country’s “One Company, One Product, …
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