The country's top environmental agency has urged multinational corporations (MNCs) with businesses in China to improve green practices and abide by China's environmental laws and regulations.

The appeal by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) followed the completion of an inspection of 130 MNCs that were blacklisted for polluting the environment between 2004 and last year.

Results of the inspections showed that most of the MNCs listed had improved their environmental protection facilities and now met environmental standards, Tao Detian, spokesman for the SEPA, said.

However, three companies remained on the blacklist, he said.

They are the Shanghai OMNOVA Decorative Products Co Ltd, part of Thailand's CP Group and OMNOVA Solutions from the United States; the Shanghai COSCO Kawasaki Heavy Industries Steel Structure Co Ltd; and Jinmailang Food Products (Chengdu) Co Ltd.

"A series of environmental degradation incidents involving MNCs in recent years shows a lack of fulfillment of corporate social responsibility on their part," Tao said.

The MNCs have been dealt with for their polluting practices and environmental agencies will tighten standards on companies regardless of where they are based, he said.

Ma Jun, director of the institute of public and environmental affairs in Beijing, said it was a good move to strengthen the monitoring of MNCs' environmental performance, as the country has attracted many foreign investors.

He urged foreign investors not to lower their environmental standards after entering China.

Ma, who maintains a blacklist of MNCs, which is based on data from environmental departments at all levels, said that there are at least 300 MNCs in China that have a record of polluting either the air or water.

(China Daily January 10, 2008)