China has finished the clean-up of one of its major lakes, Chaohu Lake in Anhui Province, as all industrial enterprises around the freshwater lake met state pollutant discharge standards by December 30, 1999, one day ahead of schedule as set by the State Council.

Of the leading 109 enterprises around the lake, each producing more than 100 tons of waste water per day, 90 have reached state emission standards and 18 have been shut down, moved, or changed to other production. The remaining enterprise is now working hard to reach the goal as soon as possible.

In addition, of the 143 enterprises that produce fewer than 100 tons of waste water each, 125 have completed pollutant treatment, and 17 have been closed or changed to other production. The one remaining is now continuing efforts to comply.

As a result of this compliance, the water quality of Chaohu Lake is expected to be greatly improved.

Clearing up Chaohu Lake, one of China's five largest freshwater lakes, has been one of the nation's largest environmental protection projects.

Chaohu Lake has been threatened by serious pollution and dwindling wetlands for the past several years because of rapid industrial development and advancing urbanization around it.

An estimated 280 million tons of industrial sewage and sewage generated by nearby residents flows into the lake every year, and the region around the lake, 13,000 square kilometers with a population of 9.6 million, suffers from serious soil erosion.