China approves new, tougher water pollution law

China’s legislature has approved a revised law that prevents water pollution by making industrial polluters subject to higher penalties, the South China Morning Post reported. The Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law, which was passed Thursday by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, raises fines for the illegal discharge of pollutants. Executives of firms directly responsible for polluting lakes and rivers are set to be fined up to half of their previous year’s income. Analysts said that the new law is likely to raise concerns in the business community, particularly among company executives, over heightened production costs.