Changsha (CNS) -- Blacklisted non-ferrous metal factories that are not approved by environmental protection authorities have been ordered to close by the end of this year, following a thorough investigation of seven areas along the Xiang River in central China's Hunan Province, said Xie Li, deputy director of the Environmental Protection Department of Hunan on November 3.
Hunan's rich reserves of non-ferrous metals, which contributed to China's industry boom, have been badly managed in terms of pollution control, especially along the Xiang River, one of China's most polluted rivers by heavy metals.
A total of 59.5 billion yuan (or 9.37 billion U.S. dollars) has been invested in the remediation project along the Xiang River. The provincial government released a proposal on regulating its non-ferrous metal industry, the first one of its kind in China, on September 25, in an effort to guide local small-sized companies onto a sustainable development path.
"Preventing heavy metal pollutions from happening is the objective of sustainable development for Hunan's non-ferrous metal industry," said Xie.
To achieve the goal, the emissions of heavy metal pollutants along the Xiang River shall drop 50% by 2015 compared with 2007, added Xie. The risks of heavy metal pollutions shall be controlled and safety risks shall be removed, he said.
Apart from closing the enterprises that are either illegal or have big threats to environment, Hunan will also integrate those that lack environmental protection licences or fail to keep up with environmental protection standards, said Xie.
