On Dec 5th, 2016, China State Council published 13th Five Year Plan Environmental Protection Program (referred as “The Program” hereafter). China’s 13th five-year economic development plan started in 2016 and will end in 2020. The Program will be the guiding principle for future environmental protection over the next several years and emphasizes the following:
Key tasks in wastewater treatment:
The treatment rate of waste water should reach 95% in cities and 85% in smaller towns by 2020.
The treatment rate of sludge should reach 90% in cities and 95% in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.
The newly built sewage treatment plants should follow the Class 1-A emission standard.
Key tasks in garbage treatment:
The treatment rate of household garbage should reach 95% in all cities. 90% of household garbage in rural areas should be properly handled.
Development of power plants fueled by household garbage combustion will be encouraged in big and mid-sized cities. Incineration of household garbage should reach 40% by 2020.
Key tasks in soil remediation:
Finish the pilot projects of soil remediation for 100 agricultural land parcels and 100 construction land parcels. Start the soil remediation for 6667 km2 of polluted cultivated land.
Finish the soil remediation for 31 land parcels that are polluted by chromium.
Chapter 6 revealed the future direction in chemicals management:
Existing chemical substances will be assessed based on their risk to the environment. A list of chemical substances subject to priority control will be released before the end of 2017. Chemicals which pose a high environmental risk will be restricted in manufacture, import and use before they are phased out.
Chemicals in Stockholm Convention will be phased out by 2020.
The use of environmental hormones should be investigated and assessed before the end of 2017, especially in water source areas, agricultural products cultivated areas and aquatic products breeding areas.
