The State Council approved a guideline to accelerate construction of urban and rural environmental infrastructure, according to an official reply released on Feb 9.

Jointly purposed by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and National Health Commission, the guideline set two major goals for promoting the construction of urban and rural environmental infrastructure.

By 2025, supply capacity and level for urban and rural environmental infrastructure should be elevated to form an integrative environmental infrastructure system featuring disposal and monitoring facilities for sewage, garbage, solid waste, hazardous waste, and medical waste.

By 2030, a modernized environmental infrastructure system that is systematic, effective, practical, smart, green, and safe should be basically established.

According to the circular, efforts should be intensified to shore up weak links, which calls for improving infrastructure for sewage collection and treatment and resource utilization, strengthening capacity for household garbage sorting and treatment, ramping up facility construction for solid waste treatment, and strengthening capacity to dispose of hazardous and medical waste.

Measures should be made to build an integrated urban and rural environmental infrastructure, promote intelligent and green efforts, and optimize its market-based operation.

The circular also stressed the roles of science and technology in underpinning construction of urban and rural environmental infrastructure, adding that the government should launch more fiscal, tax and financial policies.