China bans high-ash coal

China's top economic planner has banned the sale and import of high-ash and high-sulfur coal from Sep 1, an official announcement said Wednesday.

It is also forbidden to sell sub-standard coal to individuals and organisations in areas where the burning of highly polluting fuels is not allowed, Xinhua quoted the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) as saying in a statement.

Those who break the regulations will be asked to stop doing so, and anyone who refuses will be placed on a publicly available blacklist, it added.

All coal businesses have been asked to report details of their corporate social responsibility to specialist agencies as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the coal industry.

The NDRC also plans to establish a uniform supervision and management information system for coal businesses to better regulate them.