Laws of the People's Republic of China

    Article 1  These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Marine
Environment Protection Law of the People's Republic of China and for the
purposes of strengthening the supervision and administration of land pollution
sources and preventing pollution damage to the marine environment by
land-sourced pollutants.

    Article 2  "Land pollution sources" (hereinafter referred to as "land
sources") mentioned in these Regulations refer to places or installations in
or by which to discharge pollutants from the land into the sea thereby causes
or may cause pollution damage to the marine environment.

    "Land-sourced pollutants" mentioned in these Regulations refer to
pollutants discharged from "land sources" stipulated in the preceding
paragraph.

    Article 3  These Regulations apply to all organizations and individuals
who discharge land-sourced pollutants into the sea within the territory of
the People's Republic of China.

    With respect to the prevention of pollution damage to the marine
environment by ship scrapping, the Regulations on the Prevention of
Environmental Pollution by Ship Scrapping shall apply.

    Article 4  The environmental protection department under the State Council
shall be in charge of the prevention of pollution damage to the marine
environment by land-sourced pollutants of the whole country.

    The environmental protection departments of the coastal local people's
governments at county level and above shall be in charge of the prevention of
pollution damage to the marine environment by land-sourced pollutants in their
respective administrative areas.

    Article 5  The discharge of land-sourced pollutants into the sea by any
organization or individual must be conducted in compliance with the standards
for discharge of pollutants and the relevant regulations promulgated by the
state or the localities.

    Article 6  Any organization or individual who has to discharge
land-sourced pollutants into the sea must report to and register with the
environmental protection department in the place where it or he is located
with respect to the pollutant discharging and treating facilities that it or
he possesses and the kind(s), quantity and density of the pollutants to be
discharged under normal operational conditions, and must provide with
materials regarding the prevention of pollution damage to the marine
environment by land-sourced pollutants. A copy of registrations and materials
mentioned above shall be sent to the administrative department of marine
affairs.

    If major changes have taken place in the kind(s), quantity and density of
the pollutants to be discharged, or pollutant treating facilities are
dismantled or left idle, prior approval shall be obtained from the
environmental protection department in the locality as well as the original
examining and approving department.

    Article 7  Any organization or individual discharging land-sourced
pollutants into the sea in excess of the national or local discharge standards
shall pay a fee for excessive discharge and shall assume responsibility for
eliminating and controlling the pollution.

    Article 8  No organization or individual may establish outlets for
discharging sewage within special marine reserves, marine sanctuaries,
seashore scenic and tourist areas, saltworks reserves, bathing beaches,
important fishing areas and other areas which need special protection.

    Those outlets already established within the areas stipulated in the
preceding paragraph, where the discharge of pollutants is in excess of the
national or local discharge standards, shall be improved within a prescribed
period of time.

    Article 9  If an enterprise or institution discharges land-sourced
pollutants into the sea and has thereby caused severe environmental pollution,
it shall be required to eliminate and control the pollution within a
prescribed period of time.

    Article 10  For enterprises and institutions directly under the
jurisdiction of a department under the State Council or a people's government
of a province, an autonomous region, or a municipality directly under the
central government, the proposal for a deadline for the elimination or control
of pollution shall be made by the environmental protection department of the
people's government of the province, autonomous region, or municipality
directly under the central government, and shall be reported to the people's
government at the same level for the decision. For enterprises and
institutions under the jurisdiction of a people's government at city or county
level or below, such proposal shall be made by the environmental protection
department of the people's government of the city or county, and shall be
reported to the people's government at the same level. Such enterprises and
institutions shall accomplish the elimination or control of pollution within
the prescribed period of time.

    Article 11  It is prohibited to pile up, discard, or dispose of solid
wastes along seashores and beaches without approval. If it is really necessary
to pile up or dispose of solid wastes for the time being, a written
application shall be submitted according to the examining and approving
procedures stipulated by the environmental protection departments of the
coastal provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the
central government. The application shall mainly include the following
contents:

    (1) the name and address of the applicant;

    (2) the place and covering area of solid wastes to be piled up and
disposed of;

    (3) the types and composition of solid wastes, amount of solid wastes to
be piled up and disposed of per year, total amount of solid wastes to be
stockpiled up and disposed of and the height of solid wastes to be piled up;

    (4) the time of period within which to pile up and dispose of solid wastes
and final means of disposal of them;

    (5) the pollution damage to the marine environment possibly caused by
piling up and disposing of solid wastes;

    (6) technology and measures for preventing the marine environment from
pollution damage caused by piling up and disposing of solid wastes; and

    (7) other matters required to be explained by the examining and approving
organ.

    The environmental protection department of the local people's government
at county level or above shall order the completion of the examining and
approving procedures within a time limit for those existing sites in which
solid wastes are temporarily piled up and disposed of without its approval.

    Article 12  Any organization or individual who has been approved to set up
waste yards and treatment facilities shall build dikes and facilities against
raising dust and leakage of wastes. Prior to their use, the dikes and
facilities shall pass the inspection by the environmental protection
department that approved the establishment of the waste yards and treatment
facilities.

    It is prohibited to pile up and discard wastes of other types which have
not been approved in the waste yards and treatment facilities which have been
used with approval. It is prohibited to pile up wastes containing hypertoxic,
radioactive, soluble or volatile substance out of doors. Piling up not out of
doors shall not be carried out as final means of disposal of the
above-mentioned wastes.

    Article 13  It is prohibited to discharge toxic and harmful waste water
along seashores and beaches by improper means of dilution or permeation.

    Article 14  It is prohibited to discharge waste water containing
high-level or meddle-level radioactive substance into the sea.

    Any discharge of waste water containing low-level radioactive substance
into the sea shall be carried out in strict compliance with the state
provisions and standards concerning radioactive protection.

    Article 15  It is prohibited to discharge oils, acid liquid, alkaline
liquid or toxic liquid into the sea.

    No oil-polluted water, waste water containing harmful heavy metals or
industrial waste water of other types may be discharged into the sea before it
has been properly treated and conforms to the standards for discharge of
pollutants and the relevant regulations stipulated by the state or the
localities. Residual dregs after treatment shall not be cast off into the sea.

    Article 16  No waste water carrying pathogens may be discharged into the
sea before it has been properly treated and conforms to the standards for
discharge of pollutants and the relevant regulations stipulated by the state
or the localities.

    Article 17  In case of the discharge of heated waste water into the sea,
the water temperature shall be in compliance with the relevant provisions of
the state.

    Article 18  The discharge of industrial waste water and domestic sewage
containing organic and nutrient substance into sea areas with low capacities
of self-purification shall be controlled in scale. The outlets for discharging
sewage shall be set up in sea areas suitable for current exchange and rational
means of discharge shall be carried out to prevent eutrophication of the sea
water.

    Article 19  It is prohibited to discard medicines and medical instruments
having lost efficacy or use of which is prohibited along seashores and
beaches.

    Article 20  The environmental protection departments of provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government in
the estuaries shall be in charge of the investigation and dealing with of
accidents of pollution damage to the marine environment by land-sourced
pollutants which occur in the estuaries and are conclusively proved to be
caused by river waters carrying pollutants. If the river flows across
different provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the
central government, the environmental protection department and the water
conservancy department of the people's government at provincial, autonomous
regional and municipal level in the entuary shall cooperate with the
environmental protection department and water conservancy department of the
people's government of involved provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities and the river basin administrative department in investigating
and dealing with the accident.

    Article 21  With respect to those coastal regions adjacent or opposite to
one another discharging land-sourced pollutants into the same sea area, the
relevant local people's governments shall jointly formulate measures for the
prevention of pollution damage to the marine environment by land-sourced
pollutants.

    Article 22  Any organization or individual who causes an accident of
pollution damage to the marine environment by land-sourced pollutants shall
promptly take measures to deal with the accident and shall, within 48 hours
after the happening of the accident, report to the environmental protect
department of the local people's government on the time, place, type of the
accident, the amount of pollutants discharged, economic losses, victims and
other preliminary information and a copy of the preliminary report shall be
sent to each of the relevant departments. Upon the investigation of the
accident, a written report accompanied with relevant documentary evidence
shall be sent to the environmental protection department of the local people's
government.

    The environmental protection department of the people's government at
various levels shall, upon the receipt of the preliminary report on a accident
of pollution damage to the marine environment by land-sourced pollutants, take
measures promptly in consultation with the relevant departments to eliminate
or reduce the pollution. The accident shall be investigated and dealt with by
the environmental protection department of the people's government at county
level or above together with the relevant departments, or by a department
authorized by the environmental protection department of the people's
government at county level or above itself.

    Article 23  The environmental protection department of the people's
government at county level or above together with the department in charge of
the project shall, according to its scope of powers to project administration,
conduct an on-the-spot inspection of the organization or individual
discharging land-sourced pollutants. The inspection receiver shall truthfully
report information and provide materials and the inspectors shall be
responsible for keeping technical and business secrets for the inspection
receiver. If otherwise provided for in the laws and regulations, the
provisions stipulated above in this article shall not apply.

    Article 24  Where anyone violates these Regulations under any of the
following circumstances, the environmental protection department of the
people's government at county level or above shall order the correction and
may concurrently fine an amount of not less than 300 yuan but not more than
3,000 yuan.

    (1) refusing to report or falsely reporting on registrations for discharge
of pollutants; or

    (2) refusing or obstructing the environmental protection department that
is conducting an on-the-spot inspection, or practising fraud in the
on-the-spot inspection.

    Article 25  Where anyone forces in use facilities against pollution set up
in waste yards and treatment facilities which have not been inspected and
accepted by the environmental protection department or have not passed the
inspection, the environmental protection department shall order the correction
and may concurrently fine an amount of not less than 5,000 yuan but not more
than 20,000 yuan.

    Article 26  Where anyone violates these Regulations under any of the
following circumstances, the environmental protection department of the
people's government at county level or above shall order the correction and
may concurrently fine an amount of not less than 5,000 yuan but not more than
100,000 yuan.

    (1) changing the kind(s) of pollutants to be discharged, or increasing the
quantity and density or dismantling or leaving idle pollutant treating
facilities without the approval of the environmental protection department in
the locality and the original examining and approving department; or

    (2) establishing outlets for discharging sewage within the areas
stipulated in the first paragraph of Article 8 of these Regulations.

    Article 27  Where anyone violates these Regulations under any of the
following circumstances, the environmental protection department of the
people's government at county level or above shall order the correction and
may concurrently fine an amount of not less than 1,000 yuan but not more than
20,000 yuan; if the circumstances are serious, a fine of not less than 20,000
yuan but not more than 100,000 yuan may be imposed upon.

    (1) discharging toxic and harmful waste water along seashores and beaches
by improper means of dilution or permeation;

    (2) discharging waste water containing high-level or meddle-level
radioactive substance into the sea;

    (3) discharging oils, acid liquid, alkaline liquid or toxic liquid into
the sea;

    (4) discarding medicines and medical instruments having lost efficacy or
use of which is prohibited along seashores and beaches;

    (5) failing to comply with the standards for discharge of pollutants and
the relevant regulations stipulated by the state or the localities when
discharging oil-polluted water, waste water carrying pathogens, heated waste
water, waste water containing low-level radioactive substance, waste water
containing harmful heavy metals or industrial waste water of other types into
the sea, or casting off residual dregs after treatment into the sea; or

    (6) without the approval of the environmental protection department of the
local people's government at county level or above, piling up, discarding, or
disposing of solid wastes along seashores and beaches, or piling up and
disposing of wastes of other types which have not been approved in the waste
yards and treatment facilities, or piling up wastes containing hypertoxic,
radioactive, soluble or volatile substance out of doors.

    Article 28  Where an enterprise or institution fail to eliminate and
control the pollution within a time limit as stipulated, it shall pay an
amount of two times the fee for excessive discharge, and may be concurrently
fined an amount of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 100,000 yuan
according to the seriousness of damage and loss, or be ordered the suspension
of business or closing down.

    The environmental protection department shall decide on a fine. The
people's government that decides on a deadline for the elimination and control
of pollution shall decide on the suspension of business or closing down; the
suspension of business or closing down of an enterprise or institution
directly under the jurisdiction of a department under the State Council shall
be subject to the approval of the State Council.

    Article 29  Where anyone fails to pay the fee for excessive discharge
according to the provisions, the environmental protection department of the
people's government at county level or above shall, in addition to recovering
the fee and a late payment fine, impose a fine of not less than 1,000 yuan but
not more than 10,000 yuan.

    Article 30  Where anyone causes an accident of pollution damage to the
marine environment by land-sourced pollutants and has thereby caused major
economic losses, the environmental protection department of the people's
government at county level or above shall impose a fine of an amount of
percent 30 of the direct losses but not exceeding a maximum of 200,000 yuan.

    Article 31  The environmental protection department of the people's
government at county level may decide on a fine of not more than 10,000 yuan
and shall report a fine exceeding 10,000 yuan to the higher level's
environmental protection department for an approval.

    The environmental protection department of the people's government at the
level analogous to a city directly under a provincial government may decide on
a fine of not more than 50,000 yuan and shall report a fine exceeding 50,000
yuan to the higher level's environmental protection department for an approval.

    The environmental protection department of the people's government at the
level of province, autonomous region and municipality directly under the
central government may decide on a fine of not more than 200,000 yuan.

    All fines shall be handed over to the national treasury and neither
organization nor individual may retain or divide them up.

    Article 32  An organization or individual who has paid a fee for excessive
discharge or has been imposed upon a fine shall not exempted from
responsibilities for eliminating pollution, removing damage and compensation.

    Article 33  If a party involved does not agree with a decision on
administrative penalty, he may, within 15 days as from the date of receiving
the notification on the penalty, apply for reconsideration according to law;
if he does not agree with the decision of consideration, he may, within 15
days as from the date of receiving the decision of consideration, bring a
lawsuit before a people's court. A party may directly bring a lawsuit before a
people's court within 15 days as from the date of receiving the notification
on the penalty. If, upon the expiration of the period, the party has not
applied for reconsideration or has neither brought a lawsuit before a people's
lawsuit nor performed the decision on penalty, the department that imposed the
penalty shall apply to the people's court for compulsory enforcement.

    Article 34  Where a staff member of the environmental protection
department abuses his powers, neglects his duties or engages in malpractice
for his personal interests, the department to which he belongs or the higher
level's department shall impose disciplinary sanction upon him; if a crime has
been constituted, he shall be investigated for criminal responsibility
according to law.

    Article 35  The people's governments of the coastal provinces, autonomous
regions and municipalities directly under the central government may
formulated measures for the implementation in accordance with these
Regulations.

    Article 36  The environmental protection department under the State
Council shall be responsible for the interpretation of these Regulations.

    Article 37  These Regulations shall come into force as of August 1, 1990.