A series of serious pollution cases have left people wondering why high-polluting industries were sanctioned and could operate in populous areas for years, and if the environmental evaluation of new projects can prevent such incidents, says an article in Guangzhou Daily. Excerpt:

New projects will not be approved from October if they fail environmental evaluation, according to a regulation that aims to prevent pollution and environmental disasters.

In 2002, China adopted the Law of Evaluation of Environmental Effects, which made environmental evaluation of new projects mandatory. But enforcing the law was a difficult task for lack of concrete supporting measures.