China lays foundation to tackle soil pollution

Li Ganjie, minister of environmental protection, answers questions during a press conference on pursuing green development and building a "Beautiful China" in Beijing, Oct 23, 2017. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

China has laid the foundation to tackle soil pollution by promoting a basic strategy, including issuing a plan to conduct a soil quality census, setting some standards, and conducting pilot projects, the top environmental protection official said on Monday.

"Soil pollution is closely related to food security, and compared with tackling air and water pollution, it‘s harder to control soil pollution," said Li Ganjie, minister of Environmental Protection, at a news conference on the sidelines of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

"Thus we need to make more efforts with more attention to tackle soil pollution quickly," Li said, adding that the national campaign against soil pollution started after the Action Plan on Soil Pollution Control and Prevention was adopted last year.

There have been some improvements in curbing soil pollution. For example, the ministry has released some standards for farmland, and issued a work plan to conduct a census on soil quality across the country, which can help present a thorough picture to decision-makers for better pollution controls, the minister said.

Also, the national top legislative body has read the draft law on soil pollution control and prevention for the first time, which will provide legal support for further controls in China, Li said.