Private sector firms, both foreign and domestic, are barred from offering environmental monitoring and inspection services in China. Thus, those most qualified to bring about change are blocked out. Allowing highly skilled independent contractors to monitor compliance would speed change and encourage professional integrity. Otherwise the results have limited use and credibility. China currently requires institutes that conduct EIAs and SIAs to have an unreasonably large number of engineers in residence, in addition to certain unnecessary in-house facilities.
Excessive requirements keep the sector closed to competition and open to complications.
Furthermore, little-known laws have been used to stall progress on initiatives, occasionally for reasons beyond the law's intent. However, large enterprises in China have already realized dramatic economic efficiencies and public relations benefits through improved HSE practices. For example, Baosteel developed a waste re-use program that generates millions of RMB in revenues every year. Such success stories should be widely publicized, and industries of all sectors and sizes should be encouraged to emulate these successes through incentive programs. Additionally, the skills and experience of the foreign private sector can be put to use to disseminate public-awareness information.