About 87 percent of effluent outlets discharged excessive pollutants to sea in north China's Hebei Province in 2007, according to a yearly report on the marine quality of the province issued by the Hebei Provincial Land and Resources Department.

The excessive pollutants were mainly inorganic nitrogen and active phosphorus contents, the report said.

The ratio was calculated on the basis of monitoring results from more than 300 sampled effluent outlets in the province, which neighbors Beijing, it said.

The sub-standard water area in the province was 1,531 square km in 2007, 68 square km less than the previous year. The major polluted areas were in Qinhuangdao, Tangshan and Cangzhou, the report said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2008)