BEIJING, March 8 (UPI) -- The Chinese government officially began a major effort this week aimed at investigating 90,000 reported sources of pollution.
The vice director of Beijing's environmental protection bureau said the census would help the government create plans and policies to deal more effectively with the problem of pollution, the China Daily reported Saturday.
Yet bureau Vice President Zheng Jiang said the survey of companies and institutions has limitations.
"The success or failure of the census depends largely on whether the questionnaire is filled out truthfully and carefully," Zheng said.
The survey will involve nearly 7,400 specially trained surveyors and the final results are expected to be made public next year.
The Chinese newspaper said the survey comes a month after Beijing officials said the capital city's air quality had improved for a ninth consecutive year and major pollutants were down again.
