A specialist in the Development and Strategy Planning Board
of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, J.Soyombo, talks to our journalist
about the Air Law passed in the Spring session of Parliament and on another law
providing penalties for contributing to air pollution.

Have the rules and regulations
been framed? When will the laws be implemented?
Three of the 10 main rules have been discussed and the rest will be taken
up without delay. Implementation will begin then.

How is the present
law an improvement on the one it replaced?
Now we shall identify air quality zones, and collect fines from air
polluters. The basic polluters are those burning raw coal, producers and
importers of organic solutions, motor vehicle owners. All these can be
individuals as well as economic entities. The fines they pay will be deposited
in a Clean Air Fund.

What is the air
quality zone?
The law has demarcated 12 khoroos in three Ulaanbaatar districts as areas
where no coal can be burnt. This will be the clean air zone.

How will the Clean
Air Fund be used?
The money paid as fines will be spent on reducing pollution, and
publicizing anti-pollution measures, and to support producers of environment-friendly
fuel and stoves.

How would you fix the air pollution level and the amount of fines?

Raw coal sellers and other waste producers will be charged by the kilo, and automobile
owners by the distance they travel. The charges for raw coal will be MNT1-2 for
a kilo and for organic substances  MNT10-30. Automobiles will be categorized and the
charges would vary between MNT1,000 and MN9,000.