Enterprises urged to conduct self-monitoring, disclose information

China's Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued two documents urging state-monitored enterprises to monitor their own pollution discharge and disclose the results to the public, an environmental official said Wednesday.

The documents also require relevant government agencies to supervise these enterprises' pollution discharge and self-monitoring, said Luo Yi, director of the ministry's department of environmental monitoring.

This year, more than 15,000 enterprises that discharge wastewater and gas, sewage treatment plants, heavy metal enterprises, and livestock and poultry farms have been listed under state monitoring, according to figures from the ministry.

These enterprises should formulate their self-monitoring plans in accordance with relevant national or local standards and requirements, and make public the progress and results of their monitoring, according to the documents.

Self-monitoring and information disclosure are the due responsibilities of enterprises, and state-monitored enterprises should take the lead, Luo said.

Government departments relevant to environmental protection will urge these enterprises to monitor themselves as well as encourage the participation of non-governmental organizations, Luo said.

Meanwhile, they will strengthen supervision over the enterprises and ensure the prompt disclosure of information, he added.