Tianjin Municipality in north China increased the pollution fee imposed for smoke and dust discharged by industrial enterprises by nine times on 1 May, in a push to reduce emissions.
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Under the adjustment, the fee is 2.75 CNY (0.45 USD) per kg of smoke and dust, compared with 0.275 CNY / kg under the previous rate, which has been used since 2003. Dust and smoke are important components of PM2.5 and PM10, which are key air pollutants.
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The fee for dust at construction sites was increased 10 times to 1.5 CNY / kg, according to a joint document issued by the Tianjin economic planning, finance and environmental protection departments.
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"The 10 times increase of the fees for dust emissions is intended to urge enterprises to actively take measures to control pollutants to improve air quality," said Li Jun, an official with the Tianjin Municipal Reform and Development Commission.
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Chinese authorities have increased the fines for polluters in order to force them to abide by law and pay more attention to environmental protection.
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A sewage purification research centre received a record fine of 6.74 million CNY for discharging four to five times the national standard of such pollutants as the chemical oxygen demand in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province in late March. It is the heftiest pollution fine for enterprises in the city, said a local environmental official early this month.
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After the closure of three coal-burning thermoelectric plants, Tianjin plans to shut 180 coal boilers by October, realizing a reduction of 5 million tonnes in coal use this year.Â
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 Tianjin Municipality in north China increased the pollution fee imposed for smoke and dust discharged by industrial enterprises by nine times on 1 May, in a push to reduce emissions.
