The heavy metals pollution control is one of the priorities of the national environmental protection work in 2013. Recently, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) invited public comments on the two Technical Policies for the Pollution Control of Arsenic and Mercury.
China has 70% of the global proven As reserves, the use of which has caused great environmental concern. According the statistics of 2010, about 118 tons of As were discharged into water, mainly by industries, from the chemical raw materials and products manufacturing as well as non-ferrous mining, smelting and rolling processing, etc. According to the technical policy, those industries are required to upgrade the production process, be equipped with facilities to reduce contamination and increase the recycling rate of As to prevent the secondary pollution. Overall, the technical policy will control the As by raising requirements for production, end-treatment and comprehensive utilization. Companies involved are also encouraged to develop innovative technology.
China has become the largest producer and consumer of Hg, with the total consumption of around 1000 tons/year, accounting for half of the amount used throughout the world, revealed by an expert group led by Gao Zhiyong from TsingHua University. The statistics of 2007 showed that 643 tons of Hg were emitted to the air, especially from coal-powered factories, the smelting of metals and cement production. The table below shows the main industries that use Hg:
In order to achieve effective control, the technical policy for Hg pollution will provide practical methods for Hg mining, production technology, emission, disposal of mercury waste, etc.
By the end of 2015, it is expected to realize whole-process monitoring on the As/Hg pollutants and ensure their environmental emission acceptable.
