CHENGDU, Dec. 26 (NBD) -- Under China's environmental tax law, current pollutant discharge fees will be replaced with taxes. Revenue will all go to local governments to encourage them to enhance environmental management. 

After six years of efforts, the law was voted through by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) at its bimonthly session on Sunday, and will go into effect on January 1, 2018. 

Wang Jianfan, Director of the Tax Policy Department of the Ministry of Finance, said that existing pollutant charge standards will be referenced as the lower limit of the new environmental taxes, and that local governments will be empowered to determine the amount of taxes as required within their mandate. Meanwhile, he underscored that pollution control will be advanced as usual though the taxes are not for specified purposes.