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Notice on Further Strengthening the Environmental Management of Solid Wastes in Construction Projects Lu Huan Ban Han [2016] No. 141 To the environmental protection bureaus of all cities and relevant organizations: In order to further standardize the environmental impact assessment and acceptance processes for solid waste-related construction projects, to make full use of technical documents such as environmental impact assessments and acceptance reports in guiding the environmental management of solid wastes, and to strengthen oversight at the source of solid waste generation, the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows: 1. Further clarify the basic requirements for the environmental impact assessment of solid wastes in construction projects. When preparing environmental impact assessment documents for construction projects, environmental impact assessment agencies should, based on raw materials, process design, and material balance, conduct a thorough analysis of the sources, types, properties, and hazardous characteristics of solid wastes. They should scientifically predict the amount of waste generated, assess the environmental impacts of various methods for its comprehensive utilization and harmless disposal, and propose corresponding countermeasures. First, it is necessary to consider the technological process of the construction project, and to outline and explain the sources of various types of solid waste (solid, semi-solid, and highly concentrated liquids), their main components, as well as their physical and chemical properties ； Secondly, in accordance with the provisions of the \"Guidelines for the Identification of Solid Wastes (Trial Version)\” (**Announcement No. 11 of the Environmental Protection Administration issued in 2006\”), it is necessary to determine whether various by-products generated by construction projects constitute solid wastes. If they do constitute solid wastes, then it is necessary to use the \"List of Hazardous Wastes\" (hereinafter referred to as the \"List\") to determine whether they are hazardous wastes. Any waste listed in this List is considered a hazardous waste, and no further identification of its hazardous characteristics is required ； For those not listed in the Catalogue but suspected to be hazardous waste, analysis should be conducted based on the stage of generation and their main components. For those that may contain hazardous components, it is necessary to specify that hazard characterization tests should be carried out during the pilot production phase, along with suggestions regarding the selection of appropriate identification criteria ； Third, summarize the analysis results by presenting in a list the name, type, properties, and quantity of the solid waste generated by the construction project. When evaluating the environmental impact of solid waste generated by construction projects, it is necessary to assess individually whether the solid waste management and disposal plans proposed by the project owners meet environmental protection requirements, and to evaluate their feasibility. Environmental assessment agencies shall, based on the engineering analysis of solid wastes for construction projects and the predictions regarding environmental impacts, put forward reasonable recommendations regarding the classified collection, safe storage, comprehensive utilization, and harmless disposal of such wastes. In accordance with the relevant requirements of the \"Technical Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment,\" they shall prepare the section on solid waste pollution prevention and control in the environmental impact report. II. Further standardize the environmental impact assessment for solid waste pollution prevention and control measures in construction projects. The monitoring agencies responsible for such assessments shall, based on information from environmental impact studies, feasibility studies, and related approval documents, verify the implementation of the solid waste pollution prevention and control measures for the construction project in question. (1) Verify the generation sources, types, and quantities of solid waste. The acceptance monitoring agency shall, under normal operating conditions, select one or two production cycles, tally the sources, types, and quantities of waste generated, and convert the amount produced during those cycles into an annual average based on waste categories and production load (over 75%). If the production cycle of a construction project exceeds one month, the types and quantities of solid waste generated by that project are calculated on a monthly basis ； For production cycles within two weeks, the quantity and types of the two production cycles should be counted. For solid wastes that have not been generated yet during the trial production phase, such as sludge from wastewater treatment facilities, waste catalysts, and discarded adsorption and decolorization materials, the acceptance monitoring agency can estimate the types and quantities of these solid wastes through comparative studies within the same industry or based on the predictions provided in environmental impact assessment reports. Under identical conditions, the predictions from environmental impact assessments should be given priority. If, prior to the completion environmental impact assessment for a construction project, significant changes occur in the types and quantities of hazardous waste generated, or in the methods used for its treatment or disposal, a supplementary environmental impact report must be prepared and submitted to the environmental assessment department of the authority with approval powers for record-keeping. For changes that do not constitute significant changes, the acceptance monitoring report should explain such changes. After a construction project passes the environmental protection inspection upon completion, if there are significant changes in the types, quantities of hazardous waste generated, or in the methods used for its treatment or disposal, a special report on the environmental impact of solid waste must be prepared and submitted to the department responsible for environmental assessment and solid waste management within the environmental protection authority that has the power to grant approvals, as well as to the local environmental supervision and solid waste management agencies. The aforementioned “significant changes” include the following situations: first, the actual types of hazardous waste generated were not considered in the original environmental impact assessment of the project ； Second, the actual amount of hazardous waste generated exceeds 20% of the estimate provided in the original project’s environmental impact assessment, or is less than 50% of that estimate ； Third, there are changes in the equipment or processes used for the self-utilization and disposal of hazardous waste. (II) Verify the implementation status of supporting projects. For facilities designed for storing solid waste or hazardous waste, inspections are carried out in accordance with the technical standards applicable to the storage of general industrial solid waste and hazardous waste respectively, with a focus on aspects such as labeling of the storage facilities, leak prevention, wastewater drainage, packaging containers, and proper classification of the waste. Where facilities for the disposal of solid waste such as landfilling and incineration are in place, it is necessary to analyze and monitor the operation of these facilities as well as pollutant emissions during the trial production period. (III) Inspect the implementation of solid waste utilization and disposal plans as well as management systems. It should be compared with the utilization and disposal plans, emergency response plans for pollution incidents, and relevant management systems proposed in the environmental impact assessment report; in particular, progress regarding the comprehensive utilization and harmless disposal of solid waste needs to be monitored. If there is a change in the disposal process or the receiving entity, the reason must be explained. In the case of hazardous waste being entrusted for utilization and disposal, it is necessary to verify the qualifications of the receiving entity, examine the agreements and contracts related to such utilization and disposal, and explain the implementation status of the transfer documents during the trial production period. III. Clarify the primary responsibility for preventing and controlling solid waste pollution in construction projects. The owner of a construction project or the entity responsible for its management (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “generator”) shall bear the primary responsibility for preventing and controlling pollution resulting from the solid waste it generates. Before a construction project is put into operation officially, the producer shall provide accurate information regarding the production process of the project, as well as the types, properties, and quantities of equipment and raw materials used. It is also necessary to analyze the stages in which solid waste may be generated, along with the quantity and nature of such waste, as well as the methods and approaches for storing and disposing of it, so that relevant evaluation or inspection agencies can use this information. Producers shall make proper use of the solid waste generated from disposal in accordance with **relevant regulatory requirements. In the case of entrusting the disposal of hazardous waste, prior to making such an arrangement, the generator shall investigate and verify the disposal qualifications and capabilities of the entrusted party. On this basis, the generator should enter into a written contract with the entrusted party, specifying details such as the types, properties, quantities of the hazardous waste to be disposed of, the methods of delivery, as well as the requirements and standards for transportation and disposal. At the time of disposal, the generator should proactively understand and verify the disposal process, ensure that the commissioning agreement is fulfilled, and guarantee that hazardous waste is properly, safely, and harmlessly utilized or disposed of. IV. To strengthen the supervision and management of solid waste pollution prevention and control in construction projects, it is necessary to strictly enforce the approval process for environmental impact assessments in such projects as well as the requirements regarding simultaneous implementation of environmental protection measures during construction. Environmental protection administrative departments at all levels shall implement the requirements of this notice as soon as possible in the environmental management of construction projects that generate solid waste. As of the date of issuance of this notice, construction projects that have not yet obtained environmental impact assessment approval must comply with the requirements set out in this notice ； Where the environmental protection department has issued an approval opinion on the environmental impact assessment, the acceptance procedures for the \"three simultaneities\" of the project can be followed accordingly. At the same time, it is necessary to further streamline the working mechanisms for environmental management of construction projects, and establish a departmental review system for environmental impact assessments of such projects, the acceptance procedures related to the principle of \"simultaneous implementation\", and the issuance of pollution discharge permits. Departments (organizations) at all levels responsible for solid waste management and environmental supervision should actively participate in and cooperate with the approval of project environmental impact assessment reports, the completion inspection for the implementation of environmental protection requirements on a simultaneous basis, and the issuance of pollution discharge permits, so as to keep abreast of any new amounts of solid waste generated ； If, during routine supervision, it is found that there are significant changes in the types, quantities of hazardous waste generated by the producer, or in the methods used for its utilization or disposal, corrective actions must be required, and the matter shall be reported to the departments (organizations) responsible for environmental impact assessment and emission permit issuance, so as to work together to ensure proper supervision of solid waste from construction projects. Environmental protection agencies at all levels should strengthen the environmental management of by-products generated in construction projects, and prevent new projects from evading supervision by disguising such by-products (especially hazardous waste) as ordinary by-products. When reviewing the environmental impact assessment and acceptance reports for construction projects that generate a large variety of hazardous waste in significant quantities, experts in the treatment and disposal of hazardous waste should be invited to participate in the evaluation and assessment process. Office of the Shandong Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, September 30, 2016