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15.06.2023

EHS in China

Environmental, Health, and Safety - EHS - is a challenging area of law for Chinese companies. With increased government efforts to improve environmental and occupational health and safety standards, companies must ensure they comply with all relevant EHS regulations in order to continue to operate successfully, safely and sustainably in China.

Since China is facing a variety of environmental problems such as air pollution, water pollution, and soil contamination, EHS is of great importance. Consequently, in recent years, the Chinese government has increasingly taken measures to improve environmental protection and ensure the health and safety of workers. For this purpose, laws and regulations have been introduced that require companies to comply with EHS standards and implement environmentally friendly practices. In addition, the introduction of the so-called Corporate Social Credit System, a rating system for companies, is increasing the pressure on companies to comply with legislation and to document this.

The following measures have been taken by the government:
An important EHS topic in China is occupational safety. In the past, there has been a high number of work accidents in China, so the Chinese government has taken measures to improve work safety in the country. Companies must ensure that their working conditions are safe, that the health of employees is guaranteed and that all relevant occupational health and safety regulations are complied with.

Another EHS-related topic in China is air and water pollution. Many Chinese companies have violated environmental standards, affecting air and water quality. Due to new measures, companies must now ensure that they comply with all relevant environmental regulations and strive to minimize their environmental impact.

Similarly, companies in China are required to assess environmental impacts, develop environmental management plans, control waste and emissions levels, and implement accident prevention measures.

In addition, the authorities conduct regular inspections and checks to ensure compliance with EHS regulations.

These measures can be found in various law areas. To be legally compliant, Chinese companies must comply with various global and local laws.

Global requirements from the EHS area are:

  • Environmental Protection Law,
  • Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control Law
  • Atmospheric Pollution Prevention and Control Law
  • Work Safety Law
  • Environmental Impact Assessment Law
  • Fire Protection Law

Local and regional EHS requirements are:

  • Regulations of Jiangsu on the Administration of Mineral Resources
  • Procedures of Shanghai for Chemical Accident Emergency Rescue
  • Regulations of Shanghai on Safe Production
  • Regulations of Nanjing on Fire Protection
  • Procedures of Shanghai for the Protection of Petroleum and Natural Gas Pipelines
  • Measures of Nanjing for Hazardous Waste Management

Furthermore, there are a number of norms and standards that are relevant for companies:

  • Air Pollutants Emission Standards
  • Enterprise Employee Casualty Classification Standards
  • Sewage Discharge Standards
  • Industrial Enterprise Design Health Standards
  • Building Design and Construction Fire Regulations

With increased government efforts to improve environmental and occupational health and safety standards, companies must ensure they comply with all relevant EHS regulations in order to continue to operate successfully, safely and sustainably in China.

Our solution

The compliance management software Eticor and our update service allow you to keep track of all legal requirements and updates that affect your company, so you are always up-to-date in the compliance area. By translating complex legal requirements into easy-to-understand tasks, your employees will always act in a compliant manner and will know exactly what needs to be done and when.

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Your contact

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Joanna Bai

  • Legal Compliance Expert

Dominik Nowak

  • Eticor International
  • Managing Director & Legal Representative China