China to impose tougher penalties on polluters in new environmental law

BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Thursday passed amendments to the country's environmental protection law that will impose tougher penalties on polluters in the most sweeping revisions to the law in 25 years.

The much-anticipated amendments signal the close of a two-year debate among scholars, the government and state-owned enterprises over changes to the environmental protection law, and come in response to public anger over widespread pollution that has choked the country.

The revisions will go into effect on January 1, 2015, Xinhua said.

(Reporting by Sui-Lee Wee)