Hechi sees environmental improvement in 2017

In 2017, the Hechi government took a series of measures to address environmental problems and achieved significant results, reporters learned from the Hechi environmental protection agency on April 23.

According to its statistics, in 2017, the number of days when the air quality in urban areas met the standard was 335. The air quality in the other 10 Hechi counties (districts) all met the national secondary-level standard.

The environmental agency carries out regular monitoring of 21 indicators including the content of lead, arsenic, and mercury in the water in its main rivers and reservoirs, and results show that 23 indicators of its underground water and 100 percent of urban drinking water meet the national quality standard.

In 2017, Hechi phased out 212,800 tons of outdated production capacity. The total emission of sulfur dioxide was reduced by 4.5 percent compared to 2016. The energy consumption for every ten thousand yuan of industrial added value was 0.93 tons of coal, a decrease of 6.19 percent compared to that of 2016, accomplishing the goal set for energy conservation and emission reduction.

In tackling air pollution, Hechi strengthened management of sources of pollution including industrial enterprises, construction sites, road dust and open-air burning of straw. The city shut down 39 small and inefficient coal-fired boilers.

In tackling soil pollution, Hechi carries out comprehensive searches of hidden hazards and evaluation of environmental risk of major industrial and mining enterprises and tailings ponds. It has an innovative risk control system and soil-improvement techniques. With financial aid of 586 million yuan ($92.41 million) from the central government, it built 28 prevention and control zones for soil pollution.

In improving the rural environment, Hechi invested 36.64 million yuan in seven projects in 17 villages in Yizhou, Du'an, Dahua and Donglan. Thirty-nine operational sewage treatment systems were built. Through a series of measures and strengthened management, village environments have greatly improved.