An official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answers questions from reporters on the “Action Plan for the Control of Emerging Pollutants.”

　　The General Office of the State Council recently issued the “Notice on the Action Plan for the Control of Emerging Pollutants” (Guobanfa [2022] No. 15) (hereinafter referred to as the “Action Plan”). An official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answered questions from reporters regarding the Action Plan.
　　Q: What is the background and significance of the release of the Action Plan?
　　Answer: The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the management of emerging pollutants. In May 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection that special and forward-looking research should be conducted on the governance of new pollutants. In October 2020 and April 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping further emphasized, during the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the 29th collective study session of the CPC Central Politburo, the need to give high priority to the management of emerging pollutants. Premier Li Keqiang, in this year’s Government Work Report delivered at the National People’s Congress, stressed the importance of strengthening the management of solid waste and emerging pollutants. The “Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Winning the Tough Battle Against Pollution” set a clear target: by 2025, the capacity for managing emerging pollutants will be significantly enhanced, and it calls for the formulation and implementation of an action plan for addressing these pollutants. The “14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China and the Long-Range Objectives for 2035” underscores the need to prioritize the management of emerging pollutants and to improve the institutional framework for environmental risk management of toxic and hazardous chemicals.
　　The production and use of toxic and hazardous chemicals are the primary sources of emerging pollutants. At present, the emerging pollutants that have attracted widespread attention both domestically and internationally primarily include persistent organic pollutants subject to international conventions, endocrine disruptors, and antibiotics. In recent years, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in collaboration with relevant departments, has actively advanced the development of a policy and standards framework for environmental risk management of toxic and hazardous chemicals, implemented environmental registration for new chemical substances, conducted environmental risk assessments of chemical substances, issued lists of priority‑controlled chemicals, earnestly fulfilled obligations under relevant international environmental conventions, and strengthened environmental risk management throughout the entire life cycle of chemical substances, thereby accumulating valuable experience in bolstering efforts to address emerging pollutants.
　　At the same time, it should be recognized that addressing emerging pollutants is challenging and technologically complex. China’s efforts in this area started relatively late, and the institutional foundation remains weak. In light of the strategic directives issued by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, significant gaps and shortcomings persist in areas such as legislation and regulations, governance mechanisms, scientific and technological support, and resource allocation, all of which require urgent attention and resolution.
　　To this end, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in coordination with 14 other departments—including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Health Commission, the General Administration of Customs, the State Taxation Administration, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and the National Medical Products Administration—has thoroughly implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, jointly formulated the Action Plan, and submitted it to the State Council. Recently, the General Office of the State Council officially issued the Action Plan, providing a comprehensive framework for addressing emerging pollutants. The Action Plan deeply embodies Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, upholding the principles of targeted, scientific, and law-based pollution control. It sets out specific goals and tasks for strengthening the management of emerging pollutants, thereby further deepening and broadening the battle against pollution. This initiative is of great significance for accelerating efforts to address shortcomings in emerging‑pollutant governance, effectively mitigating environmental and health risks posed by these substances, continuously improving ecological and environmental quality, promoting high-quality development, enhancing the quality of life, and safeguarding both public health and ecological safety.
　　Q: What are the overall requirements of the Action Plan for the Governance of Emerging Pollutants?
　　Answer: The Action Plan states that, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, it will comprehensively implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and all plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, deeply apply Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, ground itself in the new stage of development, fully, accurately, and comprehensively uphold the new development philosophy, foster a new development pattern, and promote high-quality development. With the effective prevention of environmental and health risks posed by emerging pollutants as its core, the plan adopts the working principles of precise pollution control, science-based pollution control, and law-based pollution control, adheres to the concept of life-cycle environmental risk management, coordinates and advances environmental risk management of emerging pollutants, implements investigation and assessment, categorized governance, and full-process environmental risk control, strengthens institutional and technological support, improves the governance system for emerging pollutants, and contributes to winning the battles for blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil at higher standards, thereby elevating the level of building a Beautiful China and a Healthy China.
　　The Action Plan calls for adhering to scientific assessment and targeted measures: conducting rigorous environmental risk assessments of chemicals in production and use; precisely identifying emerging pollutants with significant environmental risks; and, addressing the key stages where such risks arise, implementing comprehensive environmental risk management strategies that encompass source‑level restrictions and prohibitions, process‑based emission reductions, and end‑of‑pipe treatment. It also emphasizes a holistic approach that tackles both symptoms and root causes, systematically advancing efforts during the 14th Five-Year Plan period to establish a long-term mechanism for managing emerging pollutants, thereby forming a governance framework that spans the entire lifecycle, covers all categories, and employs multiple coordinated measures, while promoting integrated, cross‑media management of air, water, and soil. In addition, the plan will launch targeted remediation initiatives for a set of priority emerging pollutants. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of strengthening institutional frameworks and enhancing capacity by establishing sound management systems and technical standards, reinforcing legal safeguards, setting up inter‑agency coordination mechanisms, assigning responsibilities at the local level, bolstering scientific and technological support and foundational capabilities, and intensifying public awareness and outreach to foster collaborative governance across society.
　　The Action Plan specifies that by 2025, environmental risk screening will be completed for chemicals of high concern and high production (or use) volumes, and environmental risk assessments will be conducted for a batch of such chemicals; a dynamic list of priority‑controlled emerging pollutants will be published; and environmental risk‑management measures—including bans, restrictions, and emission limits—will be implemented for these priority‑controlled emerging pollutants. Meanwhile, the regulatory framework and management mechanisms for the environmental risk management of toxic and hazardous chemicals will be progressively refined and put in place, and capacity for addressing emerging pollutants will be significantly strengthened.
　　Q: What arrangements does the Action Plan make for addressing emerging pollutants?
　　Answer: Emerging pollutants are characterized by bio-toxicity, environmental persistence, and bioaccumulation. They originate from a wide range of sources, pose significant hazards, exhibit subtle and hard-to-detect environmental risks, and are challenging to manage. In light of these characteristics, it is essential to emphasize precision, science, and law-based pollution control, adopting an overarching approach that integrates “screening, assessment, and control” with “prohibition, reduction, and remediation.” Specifically, this entails conducting environmental risk screening and assessment of chemical substances to precisely identify and prioritize emerging pollutants requiring stringent management; scientifically formulating and legally implementing comprehensive, life-cycle‑based environmental risk‑management measures, including source‑level prohibitions and restrictions, process‑level emission reductions, and end‑of‑pipe treatment.
　　In line with the aforementioned working approach, the Action Plan sets forth four key governance tasks:
　　First, conduct surveys and monitoring to assess the environmental risks posed by emerging pollutants. Establish a system for surveying environmental information on chemical substances, a system for environmental investigation and monitoring of emerging pollutants, and a system for assessing the environmental risks of chemical substances. Dynamically develop priority assessment plans for chemical‑related environmental risks and compile lists of priority‑controlled chemicals; carry out technical feasibility and socio‑economic impact assessments of control measures; and regularly publish lists of key emerging pollutants subject to regulatory control, along with corresponding environmental risk management measures such as bans, restrictions, and emission limits.
　　Second, we will strengthen source‑level control to prevent the emergence of new pollutants. We will fully implement the environmental registration system for new chemical substances, thereby preventing, at the source, the production or use in China of new chemicals that pose unreasonable environmental risks. We will rigorously enforce phase‑out or restriction measures and enhance controls on the levels of priority‑controlled emerging pollutants in products.
　　Third, strengthen process control to reduce the release of emerging pollutants. Enhance clean production and green manufacturing, standardize the management of antibiotic use, and reinforce… Pesticide Usage management.
　　Fourth, deepen end-of-pipe management to reduce the environmental risks posed by emerging pollutants. Strengthen integrated governance across multiple environmental media, enhance the collection, utilization, and disposal of waste containing specific emerging pollutants, and launch pilot projects for the remediation of emerging pollutants.
　　Q: The “Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Winning the Tough Battle Against Pollution” set a target to significantly enhance capacity for addressing emerging pollutants by 2025. Could you explain what measures the Action Plan has put in place to achieve this goal?
　　Answer: The governance of emerging pollutants started relatively late, and the institutional foundation remains comparatively weak, facing numerous shortcomings and gaps in areas such as laws and regulations, management systems, scientific and technological support, and resource allocation. Addressing these challenges requires laying a solid groundwork, establishing a comprehensive framework, and strengthening capacity. To tackle these issues, the Action Plan has put forward a series of specific measures:
　　First, we will strengthen the development of laws, regulations, and institutional frameworks. By establishing and improving systems for environmental information surveys on chemical substances, environmental monitoring and assessment, environmental risk evaluation and control, registration for the environmental management of new chemical substances, and environmental oversight of the import and export of toxic chemicals, we will progressively refine the regulatory framework for addressing emerging pollutants and prioritize the formulation of regulations on environmental risk management for toxic and hazardous chemical substances.
　　Second, we will refine the relevant technical standards system. By formulating and revising technical standards on environmental risk assessment of chemical substances, socio-economic impact analysis, hazard characterization test methods, and other areas, we will progressively establish and improve a comprehensive technical standards framework for the environmental risk assessment and management of chemical substances.
　　Third, we will establish and improve the governance and management mechanism for emerging pollutants. A cross‑departmental coordination mechanism, led by the ecological and environmental authorities and involving multiple departments, will be put in place to advance the comprehensive management of emerging pollutants. In accordance with the principle of national overall planning, provincial-level principal responsibility, and city‑ and county‑level implementation, we will refine the governance framework for emerging pollutants and ensure that local governments fully assume their responsibilities for addressing these substances.
　　Fourth, we will strengthen scientific and technological support. We will conduct research on key technologies for the environmental risk assessment and management of toxic and hazardous chemicals, intensify studies on the ecological and environmental hazard mechanisms of antibiotics, microplastics, and other emerging contaminants, and bolster efforts to address emerging pollutants through targeted scientific and technological breakthroughs within national science and technology programs.
　　Fifth, strengthen foundational capacity building. Enhance national and local capabilities in oversight, law enforcement, and monitoring for the management of emerging pollutants. Bolster technical support and assurance capacities for environmental risk assessment of chemical substances and for environmental monitoring of emerging pollutants at both national and regional (river basin and marine area) levels. Develop a national information system for chemical substance environmental risk management and establish a computational toxicology and exposure‑prediction platform for chemical substances. Foster a cohort of chemical‑hazard testing laboratories that comply with Good Laboratory Practice standards. Strengthen the development of specialized professional talent pools and implement targeted training programs.
　　Q: How will the effective implementation of the Action Plan be ensured?
　　Answer: Addressing emerging pollutants is a systemic undertaking that requires all relevant stakeholders to further strengthen coordination and collaboration in areas such as governance, law enforcement, financing, and public awareness. To ensure the effective implementation of all measures and actions for managing emerging pollutants, the Action Plan sets forth requirements for supporting measures across four key dimensions:
　　First, strengthen organizational leadership. Uphold the Party’s overall leadership over the work of addressing emerging pollutants. Establish an inter‑departmental coordination mechanism for managing emerging pollutants, composed of relevant departments under the State Council, to enhance division of labor and collaboration. Ensure that each provincial people’s government assumes primary responsibility for implementing the Action Plan, formulates a regional work plan for addressing emerging pollutants, and ensures effective execution. An assessment of the implementation of the Action Plan will be conducted in 2025. Prominent ecological and environmental issues arising in the course of addressing emerging pollutants will be incorporated into the central ecological and environmental protection inspection system.
　　Second, strengthen regulatory oversight and law enforcement. Strictly implement national and local requirements for the management of emerging pollutants, and hold enterprises fully accountable for their responsibilities. Enhance enforcement‑based monitoring of emissions of priority controlled emerging pollutants and environmental monitoring in key regions. Conduct on-site inspections of enterprises and institutions involved in the production or use of priority controlled emerging pollutants in accordance with the law, and intensify supervisory and enforcement efforts against entities that fail to implement environmental risk‑management measures as required.
　　Third, broaden channels for capital investment. Encourage private capital to enter the field of emerging pollutant remediation, and guide financial institutions to increase credit support for this area. Remediation of emerging pollutants shall, in accordance with regulations, be eligible for tax incentives.
　　Fourth, strengthen publicity and guidance. Enhance the communication and interpretation of laws, regulations, and policies. Conduct public education and awareness campaigns on the management of emerging pollutants, promote green consumption, and encourage the public to report environmental violations and crimes involving emerging pollutants through various channels. Diligently fulfill international environmental conventions on chemicals and actively participate in global initiatives for chemical environmental management.

Source: General Office of the State Council Author: General Office of the State Council