Thread Content
On September 1, 2020, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Wastes came into effect. The new waste management law improves the systems for preventing and controlling environmental pollution caused by industrial solid waste, household waste, hazardous waste, construction waste, agricultural solid waste, etc., and sets strict legal responsibilities. It is known as a legal system that provides \"the strictest regulations and the most thorough rule of law to protect the ecological environment.\" The new waste management regulations are strict; on the first day of their implementation, a company in Nantong was fined 240,000 yuan! It is reported that a wood processing company in Nantong is located in Xindian Town, Rudong County. Production started for the wood products processing project in September 2018; during this production process, hazardous waste such as used packaging drums, waste liquids, paint residues, and spent activated carbon are generated, with the used packaging drums stored in a hazardous waste warehouse. http://p3.itc.cn/images01/20200907/959573cfca084ca3835b5961b2f75d6c.jpeg However, upon inspection it was found that the facility had not submitted any online reports regarding the hazardous waste generated, and neither the hazardous waste storage area nor the waste packaging containers stored there had any identification marks indicating that they were hazardous waste. http://p7.itc.cn/images01/20200907/2bc6ad7399ff490fbc3968cd9ac343ce.jpeg http://p5.itc.cn/images01/20200907/d2f38e1aaaf749cfa0c067806d49b57f.jpeg In response to the two violations identified during the inspection – namely, the company’s failure to submit reports on hazardous waste online and its failure to install identification marks for such waste – the Yidong Ecology and Environment Bureau initiated an investigation into the matter. In accordance with the provisions of the new waste management law, the two violations committed by this enterprise can each be subject to fines ranging from 100,000 to 1 million. http://p1.itc.cn/images01/20200907/237b5def1caa4b169b26a9bc64bf2ec0.jpeg After discussion by the case review committee, it was decided to impose penalties; notices of punishment were issued, imposing a fine of 120,000 yuan each, for a total of 240,000 yuan. http://p5.itc.cn/images01/20200907/d5ec0fa48b654d9da366bb25e067fa46.jpeg Provisions related to hazardous waste under the new Waste Management Law Article 77: Hazardous waste identification labels shall be installed, in accordance with regulations, on the containers and packaging for hazardous waste, as well as on the facilities and sites used for the collection, storage, transportation, utilization, and disposal of such waste. Article 78: Entities that generate hazardous waste shall formulate a hazardous waste management plan in accordance with **relevant regulations ； A ledger for the management of hazardous waste should be established to accurately record relevant information, and data such as the types of hazardous waste, the amount generated, their flow, storage, and disposal methods should be submitted to the local environmental protection authorities through the **Hazardous Waste Information Management System. Units that generate hazardous waste and have already obtained a discharge permit shall comply with the provisions of the discharge permit management system. Article 79: Entities that generate hazardous waste shall store, utilize, and dispose of such waste in accordance with relevant regulations and environmental protection standards, and shall not dump or pile it up without authorization. Article 80: Units engaged in the collection, storage, utilization, and disposal of hazardous waste shall apply for a license in accordance with **relevant regulations. Article 81: The collection and storage of hazardous waste shall be carried out in accordance with the classification based on the characteristics of such waste. The mixed collection, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste with incompatible properties that has not undergone safe treatment are prohibited. When storing hazardous waste, protective measures that meet **environmental protection standards** must be adopted. It is prohibited to store hazardous waste mixed with non-hazardous waste. Units engaged in the collection, storage, utilization, and disposal of hazardous waste shall not store such waste for more than one year ； If an extension is indeed necessary, it must be approved by the ecological and environmental authorities that issued the license ； Unless otherwise provided by laws or administrative regulations. Article 82: Those transferring hazardous waste shall fill out and use electronic or paper transfer forms for hazardous waste in accordance with **relevant regulations. Article 85: Entities that generate, collect, store, transport, utilize, or dispose of hazardous waste shall, in accordance with the law, formulate measures to prevent accidents and emergency response plans, and file them with the local environmental protection authority as well as other departments responsible for supervising and managing pollution caused by solid waste ； All chemical enterprises must carefully read the new solid waste law and comply with its provisions!