The Ministry of Ecology and Environment ("MEE") has recently issued the Technical Guide to Acceptance Checks for Environmental Protection Purpose on Completed Pollutant Discharge Construction Projects (the "Guide").
The Guide provides for overall requirements on acceptance checks for environmental protection purpose on completed pollutant discharge construction projects, as well as general requirements in respect of procedures of acceptance checks, acceptance self-checks, preparation of the monitoring scheme and reports for acceptance checks, and monitoring technologies for acceptance checks. According to the Guide, an acceptance check will include the monitoring efforts and follow-up work. Monitoring efforts are made in five stages, including the kick-off, self-check, preparation of the monitoring scheme for acceptance checks, implementation of monitoring and checks, and preparation of the monitoring reports on acceptance checks. The acceptance self-checks, among others, are performed to look into efforts in going through environmental protection formalities, project construction, construction of environmental protection facilities, material changes, and other situations. Furthermore, the Guide notes that in acceptance checks for environmental protection purpose on completed pollutant discharge construction projects, the criteria on pollutant discharge shall, in principle, be subject to the standards set out in the environmental impact report (table) and those indicated in the approval documents granted by the examination and approval authority.