Guideline for rural pollution control along Yangtze River

A guideline of the rural non-point source (RNPS) pollution control for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt was recently released, chinadevelopment.com.cn reported Nov 3, 2018.

The guideline was jointly drawn up by the National Development and Reform Commission, and the ministries of Ecology and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Water Resources.

Rural non-point source pollution refers to the process of dissolved or solid pollutants generated from rural lives and agricultural production in non-specific regions, under the actions of rainfall, surface runoff, agricultural drainage and underground leakage entering receiving waters such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs and beaches.

Recent efforts in RNPS pollution control by provinces and cities along the Yangtze River are having some impact. However, it is still a major source of pollution along the river due to such reasons as major resources development and unreasonable methods in production and management.

According to the guideline, by 2020, RNPS pollution should be effectively controlled. In detail, the layout of planting and breeding industries will be further optimized, recycling utilization of agricultural and rural wastes will be significantly improved, green development will achieve positive results and pollution of the waters of the Yangtze River will be reduced.

In particular, measures for pollution control will be intensified for major river sections and lakes, water-sensitive areas and economically developed regions such as the Yangtze River Delta.

In terms of farmland, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides should be reduced; in aquaculture, livestock and poultry breeding pollution should be strictly controlled; in rural living environments, waste and sewage treatment should be strengthened and the popularity rate for sanitary toilets should be steadily grown. Besides, about 90 percent of the villages’ domestic garbage should be treated.

To promote the implementation of the measures, related policies were also put forward in the guideline, including establishing a diversified investment mechanism, increasing fiscal and tax support, and improving electricity and land use efficiency.

The policies not only help support the work of RNPS pollution control, but also standardize cooperation between government and social capital, as well as guide investment in the areas of recycling utilization of agricultural wastes and treatment of rural wastes and sewage.

In addition, financial policies in credit, bonds, funds and insurance for green development will also be fully used. For example, in accordance with the principles of marketization and commercial sustainability, financial support for the waste disposal of livestock and poultry breeding will be piloted in some areas. Prices for farming water will be reformed to improve water conservation. The value added tax (VAT) policy will also be exempted for the production and sales of organic fertilizer products.