BEIJING (Reuters) – Tangshan, China’s steelmaking capital, has said it will penalize companies that have either not taken the measures spelled out under their emergency plan or have released pollutants to illegal, after weeks of smog in northern China.
All initiatives must strictly meet the requirements of the city’s environmental protection plan, Deputy Mayor Li Guifu said at an emergency town meeting Saturday night.
Companies in the city’s heavy industry, including the steel and cement sectors, have been told to stop or stop production during heavily polluted days to reduce total air pollution emissions – such as sulfuric two- oxide or nitrogen oxide – reduced by 50%.
Historically, Tangshan, the economic center of northern Hebei district, has been one of the most polluted cities in China due to its heavy industry. It is also a source of smog for the region, which includes nearby Beijing.
For companies that do not meet the requirements of the environment, their pollutant emission permits will be revoked and their emission performance level will be reduced to “D”, which would require them to stop production.
Last week, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment urged Tangshan to crack down on breaches of atmospheric environmental regulations after it was discovered that four steel mills were not on production loops applied during times of heavy pollution.
China has pledged to cut its crude steel production in 2021 from the 1.06 billion tonnes exported last year to reduce carbon emissions. The steel sector accounts for 15% of the country’s total emissions, topping all other manufacturing sectors.