The Chinese capital will impose a new fee on the discharge of volatile organic compounds, targeting the city's industrial enterprises that release the pollutants.

Beijing will impose a new fee on the discharge of volatile organic compounds, targeting the city's industrial enterprises that release the pollutants. [File photo]

It's part of an attempt to raise the companies' awareness of the cost of pollution and the importance of cleaning up their act, officials said.

Based on the environmental cost of the pollution, the levy will be higher than the current discharge levy on sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide, the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau said.

All the money collected from the levy will be invested to improve the city's air quality, said Zheng Zaihong, deputy head of the pollution prevention department of the bureau, during a media briefing on Wednesday in Beijing.

The government wants to use economic leverage to reduce emissions, he said.

In addition to the discharge levy on the organic compounds, the government is drafting pollutant discharge standards for seven industries: automobile manufacturing, vehicle repair, organic chemicals, package printing, furniture making, industrial coatings and restaurants - dealing with food-related smoke.

The discharge standard for boilers, oil refineries and other chemical operations will also be raised, it said.