Beijing rules out construction of new cement, alcohol plants

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BIZCHINA / Environment

Beijing rules out construction of new cement, alcohol plants

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Updated: 2007-06-25 11:20

With central authorities bearing down on energy-guzzling, heavily
polluting industries, the Beijing Municipal Government has moved to
outlaw the construction of six categories of factory to save energy and
protect the environment.

The sectors are alcoholic beverages, cement, plate glass, limestone
production, iron and steel casting, and steel ore and gypsum mining.
These sectors either consume too much energy or generate serious
environment pollution, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of
Industrial Development.

This is part of the capital city's efforts to reduce energy consumption
and water consumption by 33 percent and 39.8 percent respectively by the
end of the 11th five-year-plan period (2006-2010), the Beijing News
reported.

Beijing has worked out energy consumption standards for 65 sectors such
as automobile and machinery manufacturing, bioengineering and medicine,
and information technology, according to the just issued Beijing
Industrial Indexes for Energy and Water Consumption.

Firms who fail to meet the standards will not be allowed to launch new
projects, asked to restructure or even shut down, according to the new
standards.

The industrial indexes will be readjusted every two years in accordance
with the industrial and economic development in Beijing, the bureau said.

The Ministry of Supervision said recently that it would intensify
monitoring and punish departments who violate regulations on
energy-saving and pollution control.

Local governments or departments in charge of industry have been warned
of serious punishment if they fail to implement State regulations and
policies, soft-pedal on energy saving and pollution control standards or
launch new projects without an environmental evaluation.

The State Council published a circular at the beginning of this month
asking all local authorities, government departments and companies to
report before June 30 their detailed plans for carrying out the General
Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Pollutant Discharge Reduction.

The General Work Plan, jointly developed by the National Development and
Reform Commission and other government departments, sets a target of
reducing energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20
percent and major pollutants discharge by 10 percent in the 11th
five-year plan period ending 2010.

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)

20071123 Extracted from http://www.hellomandarin.net