Status of environmental pollution caused by heavy pollution industries and environmental regulation measures in China

Most of the heavy pollution enterprises in China are industrial enterprises. These enterprises not only facilitate rapid economic development but are also the main sources of environmental pollution. Therefore, strengthening the environmental regulation on heavy pollution enterprises is the key to enhance sustainable environmental development in China. By using the enterprise data from 2000-2015, we analyzed the characteristics and status of environmental pollution caused by heavy pollution industries in China to put forward specific environmental regulation measures. Results showed that the number of heavy pollution enterprises in China increased continuously from 2000 but decreased slightly after 2005. The environmental pollution caused by heavy-pollution enterprises in China has three characteristics: externality, substantivity, and persistence. The status of enterprise environmental pollution in heavy pollution industries in China is mainly indicated by increasing environmental protection inputs and steady rise of environmental performance; gradual increase in control rate of industrial waste discharge and large regional difference in environmental performances; lack of internal environmental management mechanism of industrial enterprises and poor implementation of environmental management theory; and low level of enterprise environmental management and serious violation of environmental laws. Finally, specific control measures were put forward from the perspective of environmental regulation. Research results can provide reference and suggestions for the improvement of environmental management standards for heavy pollution enterprises, promote reform in heavy pollution enterprises, offer technological and policy supports, and establish an environmental protection information platform.