SEPA cracks down on industrial pollution

Four hundred industrial firms have been closed down during a crackdown aimed at cleaning up China's rivers, state media reported. The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) launched the campaign in July, fining 1,162 companies and suspending the operations of others while environmental improvements are made to their facilities. The campaign recovered US$96 million in pollution fines. "Punishment is not our aim," said SEPA's deputy minister. "We want to push local industries to restructure their operations."