Agence France Presse

Beijing, May 16:

The world’s largest coke producer China is taking advantage of serious oversupply in the sector to weed out the industry’s worst polluters, state media reported today.

Manufacturers that fail to comply with the nation’s environmental protection standards will be closed down and new entrants into the business will face stricter scrutiny, the Xinhua news agency reported.

“There are louder and louder voices in China over recent years asking for coke export restrictions for the sake of environmental and natural resources protection,” said Hua Zugui, chairman of China Coal and Coke Holdings.

China produces more than half the world’s coke, a type of coal used to fire steel furnaces, with output last year of 209 million tonnes, according to Xinhua. Recent figures show clearly why China believes it can now afford to prioritise environmental concerns.