Climate Cooperation China
On behalf of the International Climate Initiative (IKI)

Notice on resolution of the outstanding issues of VOC management

Source: GIZ, Kersting

MEE released a notice of accelerating the resolution of the current outstanding issues of volatile organic compounds (VOC) management.

In order to deepen the fight against pollution, strengthen the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) synergistic control, the implementation of relevant laws and regulations and standards and other requirements, adhere to the precise treatment of pollution, scientific treatment of pollution, pollution treatment according to law, in the inheritance of the past effective work, accelerate the solution of the current volatile organic compounds (VOCs) management of the outstanding problems, and to  promote sustained improvements in ambient air quality following the 14th Five-Year Plan VOCs emission reduction targets have been implemented by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE):

1) Carry out key tasks and problems rectification “look back”

To tackle persisting problems, a VOCs governance ledger should be established to speed up the rectification process. For the problems that have been fed back by the supervision and support, officials intend to refer to historic data. Through the implementation of careful analysis, both supervision and enforcement are supposed to be effectively strengthened.

2) Carry out the investigation and rectification for persistent problems

All localities should focus on petroleum refining, petrochemical, synthetic resin and other petrochemical industry, the coal industry, the steel production, pharmaceutical, pesticide, paint, ink, adhesive and other chemical industries, automotive, furniture, parts and components, steel structure, color coated panels and other industries involved in industrial painting, packaging and printing industries, as well as oil products storage, transportation and marketing, and collaborate with local industries to organize enterprises to target volatile organic liquid storage tanks.  The data can then be compared with air pollution benchmarks to carry out investigations.

3) Strengthening guidance and capacity building

Each region should integrate a special team to carry out “send policy, send technology, send program” activities.

4) Strengthen the supervision and clarify the responsibilities

MEE will carry out inspections in firms that are not in place to rectify the feedback problems observed in 2020 and are lagging behind in VOC governance.

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