Eye of Modok

Some new regulations regarding the environment, among others, have gone into effect in China this month.

A regulation issued by the Ministry of Construction will fine individuals up to 200 yuan (26 U.S. dollars) for dumping trash illegally.

Work units that dump their daily garbage in unauthorized areas face fines from 5,000 to 50,000 yuan (6,579 U.S. dollars), according to the new regulation.

It requires both work units and individuals in urban areas to promptly pay garbage collection fees, which are set by local governments.

Another regulation effective on July 1 will levy a new “car and ship” tax policy in China, which will double the tax rate on the usage of automobiles and ships.

China, which had 148 million automobiles by the end of March, has been plagued by increasing pollution from exhaust emissions.

Taxes on bicycles have been scrapped, an effort by the government to lessen the financial burden on China’s hundreds of millions of bicyclists, according to the new regulation.

As usual, we’ll have to wait and see how well the new regulations are enforced, but it looks like a step in the right direction. Easy for me to say, though, because I have no desire to own a car in Beijing.