Curbs placed on imports

China has banned the import of equipment for new small paper mills, identified as a major source of pollution, and imposed waste restrictions on larger ones.

The National Environmental Protection Agency (Nepa) issued a circular last week asking provincial governments to better supervise small mills, one of the major sources of pollution, Yang Chaofei, a Nepa official, said.

According to a report in the China Daily, Mr Yang said the circular was issued quickly because Nepa learned that authorities in Shahe county, Hebei, were trying to import pulp-making equipment for a mill Nepa believed might pollute the environment.