SEPA issues new environmental regulations

A new regulation released by China’s State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) will require China’s heavily polluting and energy-intensive industries to fully disclose their environmental impact, AFP reported, citing state media. The new rule will apply to both listed and non-listed firms across 13 sectors, including thermal power generation, iron, steel and cement, but will be limited only to companies operating in more than one province. SEPA Deputy Director Pan Yue said that, under existing laws, companies provide only "scantily useful facts," and the government would step up enforcement. Also on Tuesday, a draft law that would impose heavy fines on executives responsible for water pollution was submitted to the 32nd session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, and SEPA blacklisted 141 products that pose "serious environmental risks." A timeframe for the rule’s implementation was not released.