China and the United States will push forward cooperation on management of water resources and hazardous materials, according to an agreement reached in Beijing during a visit by two senior US environmental officials.

 

Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator for the Office of Water of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), told a news conference in Beijing yesterday that the "agreement will advance our collaboration on integrated water basin and watershed management."

 

Stressing "sustainability" in water resource management, he said there were four key aspects: sustainable management of utilities, full pricing mechanism to reflect the true value of water, efficient water use and a watershed approach to protection.

 

Grumbles visited a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing during his visit, while another US official, James B. Gulliford, of the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances of the EPA, went to Jishuitan Hospital, where the two countries run a joint project to treat medical waste such as mercury.

 

China and the United States have a lot of room to work together to ensure the safety of human, environment and working conditions, according to Gulliford.

 

(China Daily March 29, 2007)