On January 3, 2017, it was learned from the Ministry of Environmental Protection that, in order to further standardize the approval of construction projects’ environmental impact assessment documents and unify management standards, the Ministry of Environmental Protection organized the compilation of cement manufacturing, coal mining, automobile manufacturing, railway, pharmaceutical, Principles for the approval of environmental impact assessment documents for construction projects in 7 industries including water conservancy (water diversion projects) and waterways (for trial implementation).

"Environmental pollution is one of the important factors that cause the health problems of modern residents. Therefore, as the construction of ecological civilization is listed as one of the six major areas of my country's key construction during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, environmental quality is improved and environmental quality goals are established. The responsibility system and evaluation mechanism will become the main ideas for future environmental supervision." The environmental protection industry researcher said in an interview.

Xu Ke, head of Huatai Securities' Environmental Public Utilities Group, told reporters that at the end of 2015, seven industries including thermal power, hydropower, iron and steel, copper-lead-zinc smelting, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, and highways had already issued the principles of environmental review and approval.

The seven industry approval principles apply to: approval of environmental impact assessment documents for construction projects of cement manufacturing (including cement clinker manufacturing and supporting limestone mining); approval of environmental impact assessment documents for construction projects of coal mining and dressing projects; and complete automobiles Approval of environmental impact assessment documents for construction projects other than battery production for manufacturing and electric vehicles; review and approval of environmental impact assessment documents for new and rebuilt railway construction projects with standard gauge Ⅱ and above; chemical drugs (including pharmaceutical intermediates), biological Approval of environmental impact assessment documents for biochemical products, Chinese patent medicine manufacturing with extraction technology, Chinese herbal medicine processing, and pharmaceutical preparations construction projects; approval of environmental impact assessment documents for water diversion projects; rivers (including artificial canals), lakes, coastal port waterways The approval of environmental impact assessment documents for construction projects such as dredging and remediation does not include shipping (electric) hubs and navigable buildings.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection pointed out that if the national environmental protection policy and environmental management requirements are adjusted, the approval of construction project environmental impact assessment documents shall be implemented in accordance with the new regulations.

"Environmental assessment is the first barrier to control environmental pollution, and it is in a vital position." Insiders pointed out.

"Industry related to environmental protection this time includes cement manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries." Xu Ke pointed out that, compared with the draft for comments on the trial policy, the changes in the cement industry are: First, for the current increasing number of cement kiln collaborations For the disposal of solid waste projects, pollutant control standards, design specifications, technical specifications, etc. have been proposed; second, the total discharge of pollutants does not meet expectations, and approval will be directly suspended; third, the project will increase follow-up monitoring and increase the monitoring cycle of EIA duration.

The changes in the pharmaceutical industry are as follows: First, the environmental protection requirements for VOCs are mainly increased; secondly, the risk prevention work for the impact of groundwater has been refined, especially emergency work; thirdly, the rectification has increased the "time limit"; at the same time, the monitoring and supervision requirements have been refined .

Xu Ke believes that the seven-sector EIA approval principle reflects the strengthening of environmental protection supervision. In addition to traditional projects, it mainly proposes detailed requirements for new points such as hazardous waste and VOC, and puts forward requirements for the construction of environmental monitoring systems and expands EIA Regulatory cycle.

"The environmental protection sub-sectors that benefit the most include industrial waste gas (except for desulfurization, denitrification and dust removal, new VOCs), industrial wastewater treatment, and environmental monitoring." Xu Ke finally said.