In a recent announcement, the Ministry of Environmental Protection penalized 19 companies that had significant issues with their desulfurization facilities in 2013. According to Xinhua News Agency, these companies were fined a total of 410 million yuan for failing to properly manage desulfurization or sewage charges. The "Daily Economic News" reported that among the 19 companies, several major power groups had subsidiaries listed, including those from China Resources, PetroChina, and Shenhua. This is not the first time such penalties have been issued; in May of the previous year, the Ministry also took action against central enterprises that falsified desulfurization data.
Zhang Zhibin, an analyst from the Hong Kong-based Black Industry Research Group, commented that the profitability of power companies has improved significantly, making it harder to justify continued violations. He emphasized that penalties should be stricter given the current financial situation. Feng Yongfeng, founder of the Natural University, revealed three common methods companies use to falsify environmental data, including manipulating real emission data, falsifying over-standard emissions, and altering online monitoring systems. He stressed that the difficulty in monitoring air pollution makes fraud easier.
The list of penalized companies includes notable names like Shenyang Huarun Thermal Power Co., Ltd. and Xinjiang Huadian Kashi Phase II Power Generation Co., Ltd., which faced issues such as improper operation of desulfurization equipment and excessive sulfur dioxide emissions. The Ministry of Environmental Protection required these companies to complete their rectification plans within 30 working days and finalize all tasks by the end of 2014, with heavier penalties for non-compliance.
Power companies, particularly those under the five major groups—Huaneng, Guodian, Huadian, Datang, and China Power Investment—have repeatedly faced penalties for desulfurization violations. In 2013, the five major power groups achieved record profits, with Huaneng alone earning 20.8 billion yuan. Zhang Zhibin noted that while past excuses like high investment costs and limited subsidies were valid, they no longer hold weight now. He pointed out that desulfurization technology is mature and economically viable, but some technical leaders resist change.
Ma Jun, director of the Beijing Center for Public and Environmental Studies, criticized the low cost of violating environmental laws and called for stricter enforcement. He highlighted the importance of real-time data disclosure and public oversight as effective tools for holding companies accountable. With the new environmental protection law set to take effect in January 2024, penalties for data forgery could include detention for responsible individuals, marking a significant shift in enforcement.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection, along with eight other ministries, recently held a video conference to outline the 2014 national campaign against illegal sewage discharge. Zhou Shengxian, Minister of Environmental Protection, emphasized the need for stricter enforcement and highlighted the increase in environmental crime cases transferred to public security authorities. In 2013, 706 suspected cases were referred, surpassing the total from the previous decade. These measures aim to improve environmental quality and ensure compliance with regulations across industries.
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