2011-02-21 17:34

China will spend 75 billion yuan ($11.15 billion) to curb heavy metal pollution in the next five years, caixin.com reported, citing a report of Hubei Daily.

China aims to reduce the amount of heavy metal pollutant emissions in 14 key provinces by 15 percent by 2015, compared with the level in 2007, and to keep the pollution levels in other provinces lower than those in 2007, the China Environment News reported, citing Zhou Shengxian, head of the Ministry of Environment Protection.

The ministry will closely monitor 4,452 selected companies, Zhou said.

The State Council, China’s Cabinet, has approved the 12th Five Year Plan (2010-2015) on heavy metal pollution prevention and management, according to the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

This plan listed 14 provinces or autonomous regions, including Hubei, as "key areas" to prevent heavy metal pollution, according to the Hubei Daily report. Key areas will be granted more funds.

The plan involves arsenic, lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium pollution prevention and control work in five main industries, caixin reported, citing the China National Radio.

However, the full text of the plan remains a secret at the moment, caixin.com reported, citing an unnamed official from the ministry.

China also aims to establish a fairly complete system of heavy metal pollution prevention and management by the year 2015, to set up an emergency response system and an environmental and health risk assessment system.