The Ministry of Environmental Protection ("MEP") has recently issued the Comprehensive Environmental Protection List (2017 Edition) (Draft for Comment) (the "Draft for Comment") for public consultation by December 6, 2017.
Comprised of two sections, including the List of Products with Heavy Pollution and High Environmental Risks (2017 Edition) and the Equipment Specially Used for Environmental Protection (2017 Edition), the Draft for Comment aims to provide the basis for the environmental protection purpose to justify the formulation and adjustment of relevant economic policies and market supervision policies of the State. Compared with its 2015 Edition, the Draft for Comment includes additional 52 products that cause heavy pollution or give rise to high environmental risks, mainly involving five categories, such as "products that have seriously negative impacts on the quality of atmospheric environment" and "products that are of heavy and long-lasting toxicity and bring serious damage to the ecological environment health". However, 14 techniques, among those adopted to manufacture these products, have relatively slight effects on the environment, it is inappropriate to impose restrictions on their use and they shall be classified as exceptions.