Focus on Arts and Ecology

New measures to protect public health with strengthen monitoring, investigation and risk assessment, as well as prevention and control of environmental health risks, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), which promulgated the Measures for National Environmental Protection on Environment and Health on January 25

Wang Jiansheng, a researcher at the Policy Research Centre of the MEP, told Caixin that the measures put public health management work within the scope of environmental protection. However, as they are not legally binding, Wang hopes that legal means will be promoted to ensure public health. The measures do not cover occupational health hazards caused or health problems caused by natural causes as the MEP’s mandate is to cover pollution from businesses and other entities. They do represent a breakthrough though as this is the first time public health has been included in official documents concerning the national environmental protection system.