Guangzhou bans riders with traffic violations from using shared bikes

Shared bike riders who break traffic rules — like riding against traffic and running a red light — will be banned from using shared two-wheels in Guangzhou, starting August 1.

The new rule applies to all riders using shared bikes of the three major brands — Meituan Bike (formerly Mobike), Alibaba-backed Hellobike and Didi-backed Qingju Bike. For example, if one person breaks traffic rules when riding a Meituan shared bike, he/she will be temporarily banned from using shared vehicles of all three brands for a specific time period:

—A single traffic violation record during one year: banned from riding for one week;

—Two traffic violation records in a year: banned from riding for one month;

—Three traffic violation records or above in a year: banned from riding for half a year.

Campaigns fighting plastic waste to be launched

Nine central government bodies recently have jointly issued a circular on phasing out disposable plastic products across the whole country.

Under the circular, provincial-level governments are required to draft plans by mid-August to phase out single-use plastics in their regions, while all local governments should launch enforcement campaigns in key sectors such as shopping malls, supermarkets and catering businesses to fight plastic waste by the end of August.

Grid-based management of medical resources

China will implement grid-based management of medical resources by establishing medical consortiums led by a major hospital and joined by several other hospitals and primary-level clinics, according to a regulation jointly issued by the National Health Commission (NHC) and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The new rule took effect on August 1.

Under the regulation, local health authorities are required to make plans to divide their city or county into several grids, based on factors like geography, population, medical needs and medical resource distributions. In principle, the medical consortium in each grid will be responsible for providing integrated and continuous health-care services to local residents.

E-license introduced for doctors, nurses

China on August 1 officially launched a nationwide project to promote electronic licenses (or e-licenses) for medical institutions, doctors and nurses. An e-license will be produced and issued for those eligible applicants by December 31, 2020, according to a notice from NHC and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Methylbenzene, xylene make the list of indoor air pollutants

Two hazardous pollutants — methylbenzene and xylene — have been added to the list of indoor air pollutants, according to an indoor environmental pollution control standard of civil buildings issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Effective from August 1, the standard stipulates that those civil buildings failing to meet the requirement are prohibited to be delivered for use.

According to the previous standard, dangerous indoor pollutants include formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia, radon and TVOC (total volatile organic compound). Long-term exposure to such substances can cause a range of health problems, such as respiratory diseases, mental impairment and even cancer.