China to Ban Water Polluting Heavy Industries by 2016

The government of China announced Thursday it will close at least 10 water polluting industries, including paper mills, oil refineries and pesticide producers

In a report, officials said they plan to complete the task by the end of 2016, as part of a series of government initiatives aimed at improving the country's air and water quality.

“At present, water quality in some regions of our country is poor, the water ecology has been damaged severely and hidden dangers of environmental problems are prominent,” read the document.

Recently at the China National People’s Congress, leaders vowed to tackle pollution in the country. China’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced a new five-year plan to prevent and control air pollution, while President Xi Jinping pledged “to punish with an iron hand any violators who destroy [the] ecology or environment, with no exceptions.”

The country’s rapid industrial development has created a significant smog problem in most urban area, while one-third of China's major river basins and 60 percent of underground water supplies are reportedly contaminated.

China is the largest producer of emissions in the world, releasing some 6,018 million tons of greenhouse gases per year.

Last year as part of an air pollution management plan, the government closed 1,725 coal mines with a total capacity of 117.48 million tonnes.

China has also ratified the Kyoto Protocol, but as a non-member country it is not required to limit greenhouse gas emissions under terms of the agreement.