The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of China will continue focusing on emission reduction in 2009. Its goal will be to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 2% compared to 2008 and by 9% compared to 2005, and to lower emissions of chemical oxygen demand (COD) by more than 3% compared to 2008 and by 8% compared to 2005.

That was one of the ten key targets emphasized by Zhou Shengxian, Minister of the MEP, at the National Environmental Protection Working Conference recently held.

Other goals include increasing urban sewage treatment capacity by 10 million tons a day and adding over 50 million kilowatts of installed capacity for desulfurization in coal-fired power plants, as well as adding 20 flue-gas desulfurization units for steel sintering machines.

Meanwhile, great efforts must be made to guarantee the steady operation of the over 300 million kilowatt capacity of desulfurization units in coal-fired power plants and over 1,300 sewage treatment plants.

In addition, the connection of provinces with the central government in an online monitoring system of over 6,000 state-monitored key pollution sources must be carried out.

By People's Daily Online