Analysis Report on the State of the Environment in China
Environmental
Information Center, SEPA
2004.02
Contents
Introduction
1. Waste Water
3. Industrial Solid wastes
4. Pollutant Discharge in Different Regions
5. Analysis on Pollution Control and Attaining Standards
of Industrial Enterprises
Introduction
The Analysis is produced by Environmental Information Center, SEPA and Data provided by China National Environmental Monitoring Center. Pollutant discharge, pollution control, environmental management and protection in recent years have been presented directly on the pictures, which can help readers to learn more information and understand China Environmental Protection Policy quickly.
Analysis on the Total Amount of Waste Water Discharge
The total amount of wastewater discharge in China has been on the rise in1990-2002, in which the discharge amount of the industrial wastewater has decreased slowly, the discharge amount of the domestic wastewater has increased markedly and the discharge amount reaching the set standards has increased continuously.
With the deepening of the pollution prevention and control and the enhancement of the environmental management, especially the implementation of the policy of 'One Control and Two Targets', the Environment laws and regulations enforcement have been strengthened greatly. Comparing with the increase of wastewater discharge amount year by year, the disposal amount of industrial wastewater has increased apparently, the amount of wastewater discharge reaching the set standards has increased continuously and the discharge amount of the industrial wastewater has declined gradually.
Since the acceleration of urbanization and improvement of the people??s living standard, the discharge amount of the domestic wastewater has been going up. After 1997 the discharge amount of the domestic wastewater has exceeded the amount of the industrial wastewater. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the management on the domestic pollution.
Analysis on Discharge of the Industrial Wastewater
The pollution prevention and control has been strengthened on the key regions and enterprises, which effectively controlled the pollution discharge of the key enterprises above the county level. Therefore, the management on pollution discharge of township or non-key enterprises should also be strengthened.
* Data are not classified according key enterprises and non-key enterprises any more after 2001.
Analysis on Discharge of Main Pollutants in Wastewater
* Data are not classified according key enterprises and non-key enterprises any more after 2001.
With the strengthening of measures over environmental pollution prevention and further input of infrastructure construction, the total discharge amount of main pollutant COD in the wastewater has declined gradually. Especially, the total discharge amounts in the key enterprises decreased apparently in 1999 and headed for steady from 1999 to 2001. However, the total discharge amount in non-key enterprises rebounded in 2000 but decreased apparently in 2001 because some relative measures were taken according to the National Tenth Five-Year Plan for Environmental Protection.
* Data are not classified according key enterprises and non-key enterprises any more after 2001.
The discharge concentrations of main pollutant COD in the industrial and domestic wastewater have not changed apparently from 1998 to 2001. The discharge concentration of key enterprises has decreased, while the discharge concentration in non-key enterprises has surpassed the set standard apparently before 2001. With the relative measures taken aiming at the non-key enterprises in 2001, the discharge concentration in non-key enterprises decreases evidently.
The discharge amount of main poisonous and deleterious pollutants including hydrargyrum, cadmium, chromium, plumbum, arsenic, cyanide, volatile hydroxybenzene, petroleum and sulfide has decreased year by year, in which the discharge amount of chromium, plumbum, cyanide, petroleum and sulfide has declined evidently. This diagram indicates that the environmental protection sections have controlled the heavy metal pollution in the industrial wastewater.
Analysis on Discharge of Wastewater in Key River Basins
In 1998, the key measures were taken aiming at "Three Rivers and Three Lakes". The discharge amount of wastewater has declined greatly since the small-sized enterprises were closed and the management on the key pollution discharge enterprises.
Analysis on Land-base Wastewater Discharge in Offshore Marine Areas
The discharge amount of wastewater in offshore marine areas has decreased evidently after 1999. It shows that the implementation of focal measures aiming at enterprises in offshore marine areas have achieved remarkable success.
Analysis on the Emission Amount of Waste Gas
With the industrial development, the emission amount of industrial waste gas has increased gradually. The climbing speed has slowed down after 1997.
Analysis on the Emission of Main Pollutants in Waste Gas
The emission amount of main pollutants in waste gas reached highest in 1997. Since measures on the prevention and control of waste gas were enhanced after 1997, the emission amounts of SO2, Smoke Dust and Dust have declined after 1997.
Analysis on the Waste Gas Emission in Double-control Zones
The emission amount of SO2 in double-control zones accounts for 60% of the emission amount of the industrial enterprises. The emission amount of SO2 in Acid Rain control zone exerts great influence on the environment. Therefore, the management and control of pollutant sources should be enhanced, which is the key to reduce the emission amount of SO2.
The generation amount of the industrial solid wastes has increased gradually, but with the implementation of measures on comprehensive utilization, storage and disposal, the amount of comprehensive disposal and treatment has increased year by year, while the amount of discharge and storage has decreased after 1995.
The accumulation amount of the solid wastes was the lowest in 1992. With the economic development, the generation amount of solid wastes was greater than disposal and cutting amount, and accumulation amount has increased evidently from 1993 to 1999. After 1999, the accumulation amount has decreased distinctly with the adoption of many new-style disposal and comprehensive utilization technology for the solid wastes.
The above Diagrams show the economic and environmental status, industrial production and pollutant discharge conditions in different regions.
The number of enterprises in the Eastern Region accounts for 55% of the whole country, which means the East is the most active region in economy.
In terms of the discharge of main pollutants, the discharge amounts of wastewater, COD, SO2, smoke dust and dust in different regions are consistent with the enterprises rates in the regions.
The discharge rate in the Western Region is higher than that in the Eastern and Middle Region apparently, especially the discharge amount of hazardous wastes in the Western Region accounts for 50% of the whole amount.
The comprehensive disposal and utilization level of solid wastes is comparatively lower in the Western Region, which means that the Western Region is the key area in strengthening the management and improving the disposal and treatment level. Therefore, with the development of the Western Region, the ecological environment protection should be paid more attention and financial input should be added to control pollution in the Western Region.
5. Analysis on Pollution Control and Attaining Standards of Industrial Enterprises
The management on the levying of discharge pollution charge has been enhanced year by year, the number of units paying the charge has also been increased.
The total amount of pollution discharge fee has increased year by year. The expenditures of it have also grown. The enhancement of input on the pollution prevention and control gives a great impetus to the environmental protection.
Continuous increasing inputs on the treatments of pollution projects and new building projects plays a key role in the improvement of the environment. Some large-size new building projects have been implemented after 2001, so the number of new building projects is decreasing and the input amount is increasing after 2001. These large-size projects will promote the environment improvement markedly.
Continuous increasing inputs on the treatments of new and old pollution source and the infrastructure for urban environment are very crucial in the improvement of environment.
??
The number and coverage of Nature Reserves has increased year by year and the ecological protection should be strengthened.
Reforest of the Cultivated Lands
The arable land coverage has decreased year by year. Under the strict control of the State, the arable land used for construction has decreased while the ecological reforest of cultivated land has increased apparently, which are very important to protect the ecological environment.
Analysis on the Damage of the Pollution Accident
The economic damage caused by pollution accidents shows the fluctuating change. But the fines and compensations for the accidents have decreased. This means the local governments have paid more attention to the prevention and timely treatment of pollution accidents and then made the damage loss to the minimum.
Analysis on the Construction of the Environmental Protection Institutions
The number of the environmental protection institutions has increased gradually. The monitoring and supervision centers covering the whole country have been established to monitor the environmental quality and supervise the pollution prevention and control.