The country's top environmental agency has urged multinational
corporations (MNCs) with businesses in China to improve green
practices and abide by China's environmental laws and
regulations.
The appeal by the State Environmental Protection Administration
(SEPA) followed the completion of an inspection of 130 MNCs that
were blacklisted for polluting the environment between 2004 and
last year.
Results of the inspections showed that most of the MNCs listed
had improved their environmental protection facilities and now met
environmental standards, Tao Detian, spokesman for the SEPA,
said.
However, three companies remained on the blacklist, he said.
They are the Shanghai OMNOVA Decorative Products Co Ltd, part of
Thailand's CP Group and OMNOVA Solutions from the United States;
the Shanghai COSCO Kawasaki Heavy Industries Steel Structure Co
Ltd; and Jinmailang Food Products (Chengdu) Co Ltd.
"A series of environmental degradation incidents involving MNCs
in recent years shows a lack of fulfillment of corporate social
responsibility on their part," Tao said.
The MNCs have been dealt with for their polluting practices and
environmental agencies will tighten standards on companies
regardless of where they are based, he said.
Ma Jun, director of the institute of public and environmental
affairs in Beijing, said it was a good move to strengthen the
monitoring of MNCs' environmental performance, as the country has
attracted many foreign investors.
He urged foreign investors not to lower their environmental
standards after entering China.
Ma, who maintains a blacklist of MNCs, which is based on data
from environmental departments at all levels, said that there are
at least 300 MNCs in China that have a record of polluting either
the air or water.
(China Daily January 10, 2008)
