THE first criminal and civil public interest litigation related to ecology in Pingshan District was heard in public at the Pingshan District People’s Court on Friday, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.

The case was filed by the Pingshan procuratorate this July. Through an investigation, it was confirmed that the defendant surnamed Xiong had piled metal sludge and liquor waste outdoors after illegally disposing of heavy metal pollutants. Given the consequences that the pollutants would have on soil and the water nearby if it were not disposed of in a timely manner, the Pingshan environmental protection and water bureau immediately authorized a hazardous waste disposal unit to conduct an emergency cleanup at the site.

According to test results, the liquor waste weighed 37.62 tons and the metal sludge weighed 38.41 tons. As the soil had not yet been polluted by the heavy metal, there was no need to restore the land. The Pingshan environmental protection and water bureau has made an advance payment toward the cost of the tests, which was 9,537 yuan (US$1,383). The total price for the cleanup and tests was 245,812 yuan, which was also paid in advance by the bureau.

Xiong’s behavior constituted the crime of polluting the environment. Approved by superiors, the Pingshan procuratorate filed for a criminal and civil public interest trial through the court. Xiong confessed to the crime and accepted the judgement. He was fined the 245,812 yuan that was paid by the bureau. (Wang Jingli)