EXPERTS have reviewed and approved Qingdao’s environmental protection plans for the next five years.

    The plans require city officials to take measures to reduce pollutant discharge, reduce water and air pollution, improve treatment of rivers and increase Qingdao’s environmental monitoring abilities. Implementation of the plans is intended to create significant decreases in pollutant discharge and river pollution, along with new environmental protection infrastructure, by 2015.

    Construction of water treatment facilities will be accelerated at Jiaozhou Bay, a key area for the city’s environmental protection efforts.

    In addition, Qingdao officials will step up efforts to reduce air pollution by employing strict controls of particulate matter.

    (Li Hao, Shen Junlin)