Environmental trade fair kicks off in Shanghai

The 20th IE Expo China, Asia's largest environmental-themed trade fair, kicked off on Monday at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

The event this year spans an area of more than 150,000 square meters, making it the largest showcase in its history.

The three-day event, which gathers more than 2,000 environmental industry representatives from 25 countries and regions, showcases the latest innovations and technologies in pollution management. Products and services include waste and soil treatment as well as air quality and noise pollution control.

According to the organizers, many visitors are representatives from environmental enterprises based in India, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea and other East Asia countries.

The event has also attracted global leaders across various fields such as Grundfos, a pump manufacturer headquartered in Denmark that provides eco-friendly, efficient and intelligent products. Grundfos also offers sewage water treatment solutions and smart water supply systems that can boost the efficiency of water resources utilization.

Catherine Yang, regional managing director of Grundfos China, said that the company can play a role in helping the Chinese government achieve its goal of bolstering water pollution management measures. The government had in 2018 released an action plan and set aside 19 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) for this cause.

"It is our obligation to help China achieve a clean environment before finally realizing the great vision of a beautiful China with blue sky and clear water," said Yang.

One of the new additions to the expo this year is the Shanghai Pavilion, which hosts 21 local environmental institutions and enterprises that offer a glimpse into the achievements the city has made in environmental protection over the years.

Many companies are also showcasing products and services that are related to the city's newly approved domestic waste sorting regulation which is set to take effect on July 1. On the first day of the event, manufacturers like Zoomlion and Fulongma presented 11 new-energy sanitation vehicles during a roadshow to showcase how sanitation work can be made more efficient with the help of technology.

Tang Xiaofan contributed to this story.