Focus on remediation of environmental pollution in the pharmaceutical industry this year

The Special Campaign for Remediation of Illegal Sewage Disposal Enterprises to Ensure Public Health by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Justice, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Special Action for Environmental Protection”) has been a full 10 years this year. For this year's special action, the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Environmental Protection informed the coal that, in addition to hot environmental issues, this year will comprehensively investigate and rectify the problem of environmental pollution in the pharmaceutical industry.

In 2003, the State Council decided to continue to carry out special environmental protection campaigns nationwide and determine special campaigns. Each year, around one or two prominent environmental issues are resolved, illegal sewage companies will be rectified, and public health will be safeguarded.

According to the person in charge, this year's special environmental protection action will investigate and deal with environmental violations of the air pollution and waste water pollution. Strengthen the supervision of dust removal and desulphurization facility operation of coal-fired units, iron and steel, cement companies, and coal-fired boilers by power companies (including the company-owned power plants), and strictly investigate violations of excessive emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and smoke (powder) dust. Increase efforts to eliminate waste water discharges from enterprises, and thoroughly investigate the illegal activities of using infiltration wells (drenches), seepage pits (pits), fissures and caves, and dumping wastewater containing toxic pollutants. Strengthen the supervision and inspection of pollution control enterprises such as urban sewage treatment plants.

At the same time, it will focus on the “reviewing” activities of key industries such as heavy non-ferrous metal ore mining, smelting, lead storage batteries, leather tanning, and electroplating that involve lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and metal-like arsenic. The focus will be on the implementation of the “six monotonous” remediation requirements and the implementation of corporate responsibilities.

In addition, for the first time, it will also comprehensively investigate and rectify the problem of environmental pollution in the pharmaceutical industry. Severely investigated and dealt with the violations of excessive standards of pharmaceutical enterprises, the discharge of waste materials, the use of illegal means to transfer waste effluent, violation of hazardous waste management regulations and other environmental violations. We urge enterprises to operate pollution control facilities normally and organize clean production audits. Establish and improve the internal hazardous waste management system and strictly manage the storage, transfer, and disposal of hazardous waste. We will work on the establishment of safe production standardization, improve related management systems, and implement safe production responsibilities.

The responsible person said that this year's special environmental protection action will improve the joint enforcement mechanism. According to the requirements of the 7 ministries and commissions, this year will increase the supervision and inspection of key regions, industries, and enterprises. If there is no substantial progress in the investigation and rectification work, publicly criticize and interview the local people's government or the relevant person in charge; If the illegal case does not investigate, conceal the case, or indulge in an act of indulging in violation of the law, it shall investigate the responsibility of the relevant person in accordance with the law and strictly follow the rules; Responsibility for rectification is in place, and accountability is in place; if the rectification is still not in place and the outstanding problems are not effectively solved, a limited approval will be implemented.