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To implement the State Council’s Action Plan for Air Pollution Control and the Action Plan for Water Pollution Control, industrial transformation and upgrading are promoted by formulating and revising emission standards for key industries. The Ministry of Environmental Protection, in conjunction with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, has established five emission standards for pollutants: the Emission Limits and Measurement Methods for Exhaust Pollutants from Ship Engines (China Phase I and II) (GB15097—2016), the Emission Limits and Measurement Methods for Pollutants from Motorcycles (China Phase IV) (GB14622—2016), the Emission Limits and Measurement Methods for Pollutants from Mopeds (China Phase IV) (GB18176—2016), the Emission Control Requirements and Measurement Methods for Light Hybrid Electric Vehicles (GB19755—2016), and the Emission Standards for Pollutants in the Caustic Soda and Polyvinyl Chloride Industries (GB15581—2016). Zou Shoumin, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Standards at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, explained that implementing these 5 standards can significantly reduce pollution caused by particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide, thereby promoting technological progress in the industry and improving environmental quality. Pollutant emissions from ship engines will be reduced, and the emission limits for motorcycles and moped are among the strictest in the world. China is a country with relatively abundant inland waterway transportation resources, and the environmental pollution caused by ship transportation is becoming increasingly prominent. Under these circumstances, the ship engine emission standards fill the gap in the standards for atmospheric pollutant emissions from ships. The new standard applies to the environmental management of newly manufactured marine engines with a rated net power of over 37 kilowatts, which are installed on vessels of Chinese registry operating or working in China’s waters (such as inland waterway vessels, coastal vessels, river-sea direct-service vessels, strait [ferry] vessels, and various types of fishing vessels). It does not apply to ocean-going vessels, which are subject to the relevant provisions of international conventions. After the implementation of the new standards, the pollutant emission levels from ship engines will be significantly reduced. Zou Shoumin explained that the motorcycle industry in China has seen rapid growth in production; by the end of 2015, the number of motorcycles in use in the country had reached 95.14 million. It is estimated that in 2015, motorcycle emissions accounted for the following percentages of total vehicle emissions nationwide: 12.7% for carbon monoxide, 13.5% for hydrocarbons, and 1.6% for nitrogen oxides. Compared with the current Phase 3 standards, the new standards for motorcycles and mopedst extend the scope of application of these standards, introduce additional pollutants to be monitored, tighten the limits on these pollutants further, raise the requirements regarding the durability of emission control systems, and also set more stringent environmental management and technical requirements. The emission limits for motorcycles and mopedsthe are based on the EU’s Phase 4 emission regulations, which represent the strictest emission standards in the world today; as a result, the basic cost of each vehicle will increase by about 600 yuan compared to currently. Starting from July 1, 2019, all newly sold and registered motorcycles and moped must meet the requirements of the new standards. \"Requirements for pollutant emission control and measurement methods of light hybrid electric vehicles\" (GB 19755—2016) is a revision of the previous standard; the implementation of these measurement method standards does not incur any additional costs for vehicle technology upgrades. The new standards significantly reduce emissions in the caustic soda and polyvinyl chloride industries. Click on the image to open it in a new window. In recent years, the scale of enterprises producing caustic soda and polyvinyl chloride in China has continued to grow, making the country the largest producer of these materials. However, these two industries not only emit conventional environmental pollutants but also toxic and harmful pollutants such as heavy metals, which endanger human health and environmental safety. The polyvinyl chloride industry falls under the categories of mercury-related industries that are subject to strict regulation under the Minamata Convention. This industry consumes approximately 850 tons of mercury each year, accounting for about 85% of China’s total mercury consumption and 51% of global consumption. The formulation of the new standards takes into account factors such as the current status of production and emission control in the domestic industry, the development of production processes and technologies for controlling pollutant emissions, as well as the economic costs associated with meeting regulatory requirements. It raises the requirements for controlling air pollutant emissions, adjusts the items related to water pollutant emission control, tightens those requirements, and eliminates the regulation that allowed for differentiated management based on the destination of wastewater. After the implementation of the new standards, it is expected that emissions of chemical oxygen demand, five-day biochemical oxygen demand, total mercury, and vinyl chloride in wastewater will be reduced by 77%, 67%, 67%, and 87%, respectively, compared to when the current standards are in effect. Compared with the implementation of current standards, emissions of exhaust particulates, vinyl chloride, and non-methane hydrocarbons have been reduced by 51%, 72%, and 58%, respectively.