China ups standards for non-ferrous metal industries

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities on Friday released a set of improved standards on non-ferrous metal industries as part of the effort to reduce pollution.

The standards require strict pollutant and solid waste disposal in cement production, as well as pollutant discharge in lead and zinc industries, according to a statement jointly issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Particulate matter emissions in cement production will see a reduction of 770,000 tons from the current 2 to 2.5 million tons, according to the statement.

Cement industry nitrogen oxide emissions will decrease by 980,000 tons from the current 1.9 to 2.2 million tons, the statement added.

A total of 2.21 billion tons of cement were produced in China in 2012, accounting for 56 percent of the total world output.

The new standards will be applied for newly established companies starting on March 1, 2014, and the current standards will remain applicable to the operating companies until July 1, 2015, it added.