State Council – Issues the Action Plan for Soil Pollution Prevention and Control

On May 31, the State Council issued the “Notice on Issuing the Action Plan for Preventing and Controlling Soil Pollution,” commonly known as the “Ten Measures for Soil Pollution Control.” The plan sets out that by 2020, the trend of worsening soil pollution in China will be brought under preliminary control, and overall soil environmental quality will remain stable; by 2030, soil environmental risks will be comprehensively managed; and by mid‑century, soil environmental quality will have improved across the board, with ecosystems achieving a healthy cycle. With regard to agricultural pollution, the plan emphasizes the rational use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers are encouraged to increase the application of organic fertilizers while reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. Pesticides should be applied scientifically, with the promotion of specialized, unified pest and disease management and green pest‑control practices, along with the widespread adoption of highly effective, low‑toxicity, low‑residue pesticides and modern plant protection machinery. Efforts to recycle and properly dispose of pesticide packaging waste will be strengthened; starting in 2017, pilot programs will be launched in selected major grain (and oilseed) producing counties and key vegetable‑producing counties in provinces such as Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Hainan. By 2020, these measures will be extended to 30% of major grain (and oilseed) producing counties nationwide and to all key vegetable‑producing counties. Clean agricultural production will be promoted, and pilot projects for the resource‑based utilization of agricultural waste will be carried out, developing a number of replicable and scalable technological models for preventing and controlling non‑point source pollution in agriculture. The direct use of urban household waste, sewage sludge, and industrial waste as fertilizer is strictly prohibited. By 2020, the national use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for major crops will achieve zero growth, with utilization rates rising to over 40%, and the coverage of soil testing and formula‑based fertilization technologies increasing to more than 90%. Priority will be given to the treatment and remediation of contaminated soils, with concentrated efforts focused on areas of polluted farmland in provinces such as Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Other provinces are required to identify priority areas for treatment and remediation based on the degree of soil contamination, associated environmental risks, and the extent of their impact. By 2020, the total area of treated and remediated contaminated farmland is expected to reach 10 million mu.