Jiangsu Explores the Way of Environmental Protection     

While developing heavy industrialization in riverside areas, Jiangsu province is exploring the new way of environmental protection called "conducting treatment in advance to reduce pollution".

Seeking a new way under the pressure of environmental protection

After the start of the riverside development in 2003, a new-round development of heavy industrialization projects was triggered in Jiangsu province. Some people engaged in the work of environmental protection have the concern that the unduly dependence on heavy industrialization projects in the riverside development would bring pressure to environment. The experts think however that the problem in Jiangsu province is not whether it should have heavy industrialization projects or not, but how to handle the relationship between environment and heavy industrialization projects.
   Besides, in the initial period of the riverside development Jiangsu province already formulated some systems to restrict the possible heavy industrialization heat.
   The heavy industrialization sector in Jiangsu province will develop mechanisms for the sustainable development, including internal cycle in enterprises, internal cycle in industrial parks and industrial cycle. The internal cycle in enterprises can greatly reduce the sewage discharge. The internal cycle in industrial parks can lay a foundation for the ecological chemical sector. The industrial cycle can extend "green" industrial strips.

Checking Stringently small chemical plants

Statistics from Jiangsu Environmental Protection Department show that in all chemical enterprises small chemical plants are the major sources of pollution. Jaingsu province plans to shut down nearly 3 000 small chemical plants in the next 3 years to minimize the threat to environment from the source. In the riverside development, rectification will be conducted to the chemical sector through market and administrative means including planning, technical upgrading and investment scale threshold.
   According to statistics, nearly 1 000 large chemical projects in 8 riverside cities have been vetoed due to problems in environmental protection since 2003. The number of small chemical projects being vetoed is much higher.
   The constant vetoing of new projects has also produced a positive impact on projects that have already been started construction. Heavy industrialization projects all have high environmental protection technologies and standards today. In the past enterprises were unwilling to make input in environment protection in order to save cost. Today they are active in renewing equipment for environmental protection. Strict admission conditions have urged enterprises to shoulder environmental protection responsibilities.