Ministry of Emergency Management: At present, 19 provinces have designated 352 chemical industrial parks.

On the 29th, Li Wanchun, Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Emergency Management and Director-General of the Investigation and Statistics Department, stated that China has launched a “three-pronged remediation” campaign targeting chemical industrial parks, enterprises handling hazardous chemicals, and small-scale chemical operations. To date, 19 provincial governments have designated 352 chemical industrial parks.

On January 29, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to present an overview of the follow-up review on the implementation of corrective measures for major and especially serious accidents over the past five years. In response to questions from reporters, Li Wanchun stated that ensuring the safe production of hazardous chemicals is the top priority in workplace safety. Since 2015, a total of ten major and especially serious accidents have occurred in the hazardous chemicals sector, with seven of these incidents taking place between 2017 and 2019.

Li Wanchun stated that, following an assessment of ten major and particularly serious accidents in the hazardous chemicals sector, three key issues have been identified: First, structural imbalances within the chemical industry remain pronounced, with small and medium-sized enterprises still accounting for a significant share in areas such as fine chemicals. These firms generally exhibit low levels of automation and fragile safety‑assurance capabilities. Second, regulatory oversight across the entire safety‑production chain in the hazardous chemicals field requires further strengthening, especially in the transportation, storage, and waste‑disposal stages, where gaps in safety supervision persist and the risk of accidents remains substantial. Third, corporate principal responsibility is not being adequately fulfilled; given that the hazardous chemicals industry is inherently high‑risk, workers often lack the requisite professional qualifications, safety management is weak, and intrinsic safety levels are insufficient. In some cases, certain enterprises even disregard applicable laws and regulations, recklessly endangering human life.

Li Wanchun stated that, with regard to safety supervision in the hazardous chemicals sector, four key measures have been implemented:

First, we strengthened top-level design. For the first time, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the “Opinions on Comprehensively Strengthening Work on the Safe Production of Hazardous Chemicals,” launching a three-year special campaign to address safety issues in this sector. A year-long special rectification effort was also planned for Jiangsu Province, with a particular focus on the chemical industry, to help and guide the province in exploring effective measures that can better inform nationwide efforts. In terms of bolstering the regulatory framework and capacity for hazardous chemicals, the Ministry of Emergency Management established the First and Second Divisions for Hazardous Chemicals, significantly increasing staffing; the reform is now fully implemented.

Second, we focused on managing major risks. We kept a close watch on major hazard sources; at present, a four-tier monitoring and early-warning system for such sources has been established, and a collaborative regulatory mechanism involving fire services and local authorities has been put in place. Two rounds of targeted inspections and guidance have been conducted at enterprises handling major hazard sources, and a responsibility‑based safety management system has been formulated. In addition, a “Special Control Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals” has been developed for particularly sensitive chemical substances. Following the Beirut explosion, three consecutive campaigns were launched to address explosives such as ammonium nitrate, providing comprehensive guidance and support to all 214 nitration facilities nationwide.

Third, we will enhance intrinsic safety. We have launched a “three‑pronged remediation” campaign targeting chemical industrial parks, enterprises handling hazardous chemicals, and small-scale chemical operations. To date, 19 provincial governments have designated 352 chemical industrial parks, and we are developing categorized remediation and phasing‑out lists for outdated technologies and equipment. In addition, we have organized crackdowns on illegal and non‑compliant small‑scale chemical facilities. Meanwhile, we have conducted four rounds of guidance and support in 53 key counties for hazardous chemicals, which has helped to drive improvements across 261 provincially designated key counties nationwide.

Fourth, enhance basic safety‑assurance capabilities. The “Guidelines for Identifying and Addressing Safety Risks in Chemical Industrial Parks” and the “Guidelines for Identifying and Addressing Safety Risks in Enterprises Handling Hazardous Chemicals” have been issued, and national standards such as the “Identification of Major Hazard Sources of Hazardous Chemicals” and the “Methods for Determining External Safety Protection Distances for Hazardous Chemical Production Units and Storage Facilities” have been formulated or revised.

Li Wanchun stated that these measures have yielded phased results: last year, the number of chemical‑industry accidents nationwide decreased by 26 compared with the previous year, and the death toll fell by 98, representing declines of 15.3% and 35%, respectively. No major or particularly serious accidents occurred, thereby reversing the unfavorable trend of more than two such incidents per year that had persisted for three consecutive years since 2017.

Source: Polaris Atmospheric Network