BEIJING — China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on May 9 launched a targeted crackdown on solid waste pollution following frequent cases of the illegal disposal of harmful materials in several regions.

From May 9 to the end of June, the MEE will send 150 teams to regions in the Yangtze River economic belt to inspect the illegal discharge of solid waste.

If local authorities find any illegal activities, they will be ordered to clear up solid waste, curb environment risks and find out the sources of the waste.

The move came after several cases of illegal solid-waste dumping in areas including Guangxi, Henan and Anhui, which caused harm to the local environments.

The MEE on May 9 made public seven cases of illegal disposal of solid waste in Anhui, Hunan and Chongqing.

Tackling pollution is one of the “three tough battles” China aims to win over the next three years.

Starting Jan 1, 2018, China introduced a new tax - the environment protection tax - aimed at protecting the environment and cutting pollutant discharge.

Companies and public institutions that discharge listed pollutants directly into the environment will pay taxes for producing noise, air and water pollutants as well as solid waste.