China’s Jiangsu province will close 1,000 chemical plants

The government of Jiangsu, a highly industrialized province on China’s east coast, has set a goal of shutting down within three years 1,000 chemical plants that use older technology or are located near the Yangtze River. The government says its goals are reducing pollution and promoting higher-tech industries. Jiangsu will order the relocation or shutdown of chemical plants that don’t comply with safety and environmental regulations as well as plants that operate less than 1 km from the Yangtze. The measures will also affect the steel, coal, and power industries.