More than half of 500 Chinese cities surveyed failed to meet national air quality standards last year, China Daily reported Friday.
The State Environmental Protection Administration also revealed that nearly one-third of non-industrial sewage in the cities went untreated. The findings were likely to cause widespread concern, the report said.
Wang Yuqing, the administration's vice-minister, said the number of complaints about environmental problems in China has been rising by 30 percent annually, indicating that pollution is seriously affecting people's quality of life.
Three cities in China -- Guiyang in the southwest province of Guizhou, Rizhao in eastern Shandong province and Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu -- are experimenting with a recycling program under the administration's supervision, which is helping the National Development and Reform Commission design policies to implement effective recycling and environmental protection practices across the country.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
