The Environmental Protection Law was promulgated in 1989 and amended in 2014 respectively. The latest revision entered into force on January 1, 2015.

There are 70 articles in total.

The key points are as follows:

1.All entities and individuals shall have the obligation to protect environment. The local governments at all levels shall be responsible for the environmental quality within their respective administrative regions.

2.The environmental protection administrative department of the State Council shall generally supervise and administer the national environmental protection work, and shall develop the national environmental quality standards.

3.The pollution prevention and control installations included in a construction project shall be designed, constructed and put to use simultaneously with the body of the construction project.

4.Enterprises, public institutions, and other businesses that discharge pollutants shall pay pollutant discharge fees. Enterprises, public institutions, and other businesses subject to pollutant discharge licensing management shall discharge pollutants according to the requirements of their respective pollutant discharge licenses.

5.Citizens, legal persons, and other organizations shall, according to the law, have the rights to obtain environmental information and participate in and oversee environmental protection.