China to put steel plants under strict environment scrutiny

China's major steel plants will undergo a serious check of their pollution-control measures in a government operation from July to October.

Environment regulators across the country will check whether these plants properly install and operate pollution-control facilities and whether the waste they discharge meets national standards, said Tian Weiyong, head of the inspection division under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, on Monday.

Those found to have violated any rules will face serious punishment and be suspended from production, Tian said.

The ministry will publicize all serious polluters exposed by this operation.

Industrial pollutants, such as exhaust gas from steel factories and power plants, contribute to worsening air quality, especially smog in north China.

In the first half of this year, six out of the 10 cities with the worst air quality in China were in north China's Hebei Province, known for its steel industry.

China produced about 1.12 billion tonnes of steel products in 2015. The country is working hard to cut overcapacity in this industrial sector. Endi