Ministry of Environmental Protection Says Suspected Straw Burning May Have Caused Widespread Heavy Smog Across China in Early Autumn
BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Environmental Protection reported in Beijing on the 18th that suspected straw-burning fire points had been monitored in 20 provinces over the past two weeks, and the pollution prevention and control situation is grim. Just from the 15th to the 17th, North China, East China and Central China had just experienced
BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Environmental Protection reported in Beijing on the 18th that suspected straw-burning fire points had been monitored in 20 provinces over the past two weeks, and the pollution prevention and control situation is grim. Just from the 15th to the 17th, North China, East China and Central China had just experienced the first large-scale smog episode since the start of autumn.
From the 5th to the 17th, satellite remote-sensing patrol and monitoring data compiled by the Ministry of Environmental Protection showed that nationwide, apart from 11 provinces (regions and municipalities) including Beijing, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangdong and Tibet where no suspected straw-burning fire points were monitored, a total of 862 suspected straw-burning fire points were monitored in the other 20 provinces (regions), 54 more than in the same period of 2014, an increase of 6.68%. Among them, Shandong had the most fire points at 179. Looking at the number of fire points per thousand hectares of cultivated land on average, the highest intensity of straw-burning fire points was in Liaoning, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan and Jilin.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection sent personnel to Liaoning for research from the 16th to the 17th and found that, due to limitations such as satellite pass times and cloud cover, the actual number of local fire points was far greater than the number captured by satellite monitoring. Wang Dongqing, deputy director of the Environmental Supervision Bureau of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, stressed that the peak period for straw burning in Liaoning is about to arrive, and after late October, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places will also successively enter the peak period for straw burning, and the situation for preventing and controlling straw-burning pollution in Northeast China will become even more severe.
The issue of straw utilization and the ban on burning has always been an important focus in smog control. China's National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and others have already introduced preferential policies in many aspects including funding subsidies, electricity prices and taxes to vigorously promote the comprehensive utilization of straw. Jiangsu, Anhui and other places have also increased financial input to promote the comprehensive utilization of straw and have stepped up supervision and inspection.
Wang Dongqing said the Ministry of Environmental Protection will further intensify satellite remote-sensing patrol and monitoring, publish daily satellite monitoring information on government websites, and use methods such as unannounced visits to urge all localities to carry out prevention and control; provinces with ineffective prevention and control will be publicly notified.
From the 5th to the 17th, satellite remote-sensing patrol and monitoring data compiled by the Ministry of Environmental Protection showed that nationwide, apart from 11 provinces (regions and municipalities) including Beijing, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangdong and Tibet where no suspected straw-burning fire points were monitored, a total of 862 suspected straw-burning fire points were monitored in the other 20 provinces (regions), 54 more than in the same period of 2014, an increase of 6.68%. Among them, Shandong had the most fire points at 179. Looking at the number of fire points per thousand hectares of cultivated land on average, the highest intensity of straw-burning fire points was in Liaoning, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan and Jilin.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection sent personnel to Liaoning for research from the 16th to the 17th and found that, due to limitations such as satellite pass times and cloud cover, the actual number of local fire points was far greater than the number captured by satellite monitoring. Wang Dongqing, deputy director of the Environmental Supervision Bureau of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, stressed that the peak period for straw burning in Liaoning is about to arrive, and after late October, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places will also successively enter the peak period for straw burning, and the situation for preventing and controlling straw-burning pollution in Northeast China will become even more severe.
The issue of straw utilization and the ban on burning has always been an important focus in smog control. China's National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and others have already introduced preferential policies in many aspects including funding subsidies, electricity prices and taxes to vigorously promote the comprehensive utilization of straw. Jiangsu, Anhui and other places have also increased financial input to promote the comprehensive utilization of straw and have stepped up supervision and inspection.
Wang Dongqing said the Ministry of Environmental Protection will further intensify satellite remote-sensing patrol and monitoring, publish daily satellite monitoring information on government websites, and use methods such as unannounced visits to urge all localities to carry out prevention and control; provinces with ineffective prevention and control will be publicly notified.