{"id":85491,"date":"2022-08-09T16:19:37","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T16:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadialogue.net\/?p=85491"},"modified":"2022-08-09T16:21:35","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T16:21:35","slug":"chinas-plan-to-clean-up-new-pollutants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/pollution\/chinas-plan-to-clean-up-new-pollutants\/","title":{"rendered":"China\u2019s plan to clean up \u2018new pollutants\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2014, China declared a \u201cwar on pollution\u201d. Since then, air quality has improved significantly<\/a>, with nationwide levels of PM2.5 \u2013 harmful fine particles less than 2.5 micrometres wide \u2013 dropping by 58%<\/a>. With the first campaign in that war won, China is now setting its sights on less visible pollutants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cnew pollutants\u201d (\u65b0\u6c61\u67d3\u7269) has come up frequently. It appeared in the 14th Five Year Plan, during the crucial Two Sessions political and legislative meetings, and in the outline of the Vision 2035 plan for \u201csocialist modernisation\u201d. It refers to hidden pollutants<\/a> that lurk in the environment, cause damage in the long term \u2013 and are much harder to tackle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main source of these pollutants is the production and use of harmful and toxic chemicals. In May, the State Council published an action plan<\/a> on new pollutants, kicking off a process of identifying such substances and assessing the harm they cause. Restrictions and bans were also put in place for a first batch of chemicals. There are hopes this will plug existing gaps in China\u2019s chemicals regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposing the new pollutants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In actual fact, many \u201cnew\u201d pollutants are nothing new. At a press conference<\/a> in March, a Ministry of Ecology and Environment spokesperson said such pollutants are being described this way because they are less familiar to the public than conventional pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides; and because as understanding grows of the damage chemicals cause, and methods for detecting them improve, new harms and pollutants are being identified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New pollutants are chemical in nature. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency refers to them as \u201cchemicals of emerging concern<\/a>\u201d. These substances may be more common than you think, occurring in everyday medicines, cosmetics, insecticides and detergents, as well as commonly used industrial products. Think of the formaldehyde in shampoo, plastic microbeads in toothpaste, plasticisers in food packaging, fire retardants in televisions, and even antibacterials in soap. Their use and release into the environment can cause long-term negative effects and health issues, even in small quantities. These include endocrine disorders in both aquatic life and humans, and antibiotic resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both government and the public have overlooked these new pollutants<\/blockquote>He Linghui, senior project chief with Shenzhen Zero Waste<\/cite><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

China\u2019s standards for environmental quality and pollutant emissions mainly focus on more conventional pollutants<\/a>, as do its lists of managed chemicals. Most feature on one of two lists: for air pollutants<\/a> and for water pollutants. Once listed, chemicals can be controlled under laws on air and water pollution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost new pollutants \u2013 such as antibiotics, microplastics and perfluorinated compounds \u2013 aren\u2019t covered by environmental standards for air, water and soil, and mostly go unmonitored,\u201d said He Linghui, senior project chief with Shenzhen Zero Waste, adding that \u201cboth government and the public have overlooked these new pollutants\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fixing holes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The State Council\u2019s new action plan includes identifying and assessing the environmental risks associated with these chemicals and deciding which ones most need to be controlled. Whole-lifecycle restrictions will be placed on new pollutants, including bans on their production and use, reduction of emissions during use, and end-of-pipe solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are end-of-pipe solutions?<\/span>
\n

Techniques to remove already formed contaminants from a stream of air, water, waste, product or similar. They are called \u201cend-of-pipe\u201d as they are normally implemented as a last stage of a process before the stream is disposed of or delivered. Examples include a scrubber on a smokestack and a catalytic convertor on a car tailpipe. (Source: greenfacts.org)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

According to the action plan, the identification process for high-concern and high-production volume chemicals will be complete by 2025, as will a first batch of environmental risk assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe action plan reflects a prevention-first approach to environmental risks,\u201d said Liu Jianguo, an associate professor at Peking University\u2019s College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. \u201cIt is an important step in plugging gaps in China\u2019s management of hazardous chemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That management has long been focused on industrial safety and prevention of accidents, leading to significant blind spots. The \u201cimminent\u201d risks of inflammable, explosive and highly toxic chemicals get plenty of attention, but hidden and long-term environmental harms are overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChina has a grasp on the risks associated with the 2,800 substances on the lists of hazardous chemicals. But there\u2019s a lack of information and understanding of the potential environmental and health harms associated with tens of thousands of other chemicals on the market,\u201d Liu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/div>
A fabric market in Shanghai. Many manufacturers use chemicals in their fabrics, not all of them with negligible health impacts. (Image: Peter Horree \/ Alamy)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A first list of \u201cnew pollutants for priority control\u201d will be published this year, the plan says. Substances on those lists will either be banned or subjected to usage and emissions restrictions. Meanwhile, regulators are revising guidelines on industrial restructuring in order to gradually phase out some pesticides, veterinary drugs, cosmetics and industrial chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The action plan also calls for stronger environmental impact assessments, with tough requirements for projects involving new pollutants. The list of new pollutants for priority control will be updated as more chemicals are assessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An earlier consultation draft of the plan included a list of 28 new pollutants for priority control<\/a>. These were mainly persistent organic pollutants, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and antibiotics already restricted by international treaties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tougher management of consumer products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

China is the world\u2019s biggest producer and consumer of chemicals. Globally, the chemicals industry is worth around US$4 trillion<\/a> a year, with China\u2019s industry accounting for 45%<\/a> of that figure. In 2020, chemicals worth $1.77 trillion<\/a> were consumed in China. These essential raw materials are widely used in making medicines, pesticides, fertilisers, plastics, textiles, building supplies, laundry detergents and cosmetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n