BEIJING — China issued five new standards to limit some major pollutants, which are expected to cut industrial discharges by more than half.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued the documents, which included emission caps for ship engines, motorcycles and hybrid electric cars as well as limits on discharges from caustic soda and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industries, the MEP said in a statement on Aug 30.

Compared with the current standards, discharges of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in waste water, particulate matter in exhaust gas, chloroethylene and non-methane hydrocarbon will be slashed by 77 percent, 51 percent, 72 percent and 58 percent, respectively, under the new standards, the statement said.

The statement said the new standards are part of measures to implement the action plans on air and water pollution prevention and control.

They are also expected to stimulate industrial transformation and upgrading, it said.