The aim of the project, dubbed the green credit initiative, is to starve "notorious polluters of the funds they need to operate," the report said.
"The deterioration of China’s environment tells that it is not effective to rely on just one department to monitor pollution emissions," said Pan Yue, deputy minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).
"The environmental watchdog needs to work hand in hand with financial policymakers to find ways to punish polluting factories."
Most of the factories were in the paper-making, coking, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, and brewery industries.
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