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China to intensify pollution reduction in 2009

By Li Jing (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-01-20 15:26

China will increase urban sewage treatment capacity by 10 million tons in 2009 and install sulfur dioxide scrubbers to coal-fired power generating units with a total capacity of 50 million kilowatts, Zhou Shengxian, minister of environmental protection, said at the national conference of environmental protection in Beijing last week.

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The country has set a goal of reducing 1.9 million tons of sulfur dioxide and 1.12 million tons of carbon dioxide this year.

Zhou said the Ministry of Environment Protection (MEP) will also keep a close watch to ensure the steady operation of pollution treatment facilities.

More than 1,300 sewage treatment plants had been put into operation in China, and power generating units with a total capacity of 300 kilowatts have been installed with sulfur scrubbing equipment.

The country will continue to close outdated iron and steel plants, paper mills and power plants, Zhou said.

Ten million tons of iron smelting capacity, six million tons of steel making capacity, 500,000 tons of paper making capacity and power generating units with total capacity of 15 million kilowatts will be phased out in 2009, according to Zhou.

Last year, China increased urban sewage treatment capacity by 12.8 million tons and installed sulfur scrubbers to power generating units with a total capacity of 86 million kilowatts.

Small-scale power plants with a total capacity of 16.69 million kilowatts were phased out in 2008.