Twenty-Three Eco-Endangering Enterprises Shut DownEnvironmental protection administrative office in Beijing recently shut down 23 local enterprises whose discharges failed to reach the set standard.The enterprises involved industries of food processing, brewing and chemistry. They were ordered to stop production since they were not able to make positive changes within a set period. Another 13 enterprises were fined. Beijing government has been trying to improve its environmental conditions. It has moved 53 eco-endangering enterprises out of the downtown area and invested 4.4 billion yuan (about 528 million U.S. dollars) in aiding 789 enterprises with purifying equipment installation in the last three years. Due to the efforts, the discharged sulfur dioxide, fume, and dust by industrial enterprises last year decreased by 40,700 tons, 79,600 tons and 41,100 tons respectively compared with 1996. Supervision centers on pollutants are now exerting a 24-hour computer supervision, said local officials. |
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