The Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution (the "Law on Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution") has recently been adopted at the Fifth Session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress and will be implemented as of January 1^st, 2019.

Major contents of the Law on Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution touch upon the following eight aspects:

(1) specifying the principle of putting prevention first and prioritizing protection in the prevention and control of soil pollution;

(2) providing basic systems regarding the planning for the prevention and control of soil pollution, risk management and control standards for soil pollution, and the general survey and monitoring of soil pollution status;

(3) introducing the catalog of poisonous and harmful substances to soil and the list of enterprises under close supervision;

(4) launching the category-based management system for farming land and corresponding requirements on risk management and control and restoration;

(5) specifying the catalog system for risk management and control and restoration for the soil pollution to construction land;

(6) stating that China will adopt economic policies and preferential measures that are favorable to the prevention and control of soil pollution;

(7) defining local governments' subject responsibilities for the safe land use and supervisory and administrative responsibilities of departments of ecology and environment and other related departments;

(8) setting out the legal liability for practices in violation of this law in different situations.

(Source: http://www.npc.gov.cn )