A review Overview of Policies and Regulations on Heavy Metal Pollution in Agricultural Land

1. Introduction

Heavy metal contamination of agricultural land has become a pressing global concern， threatening food security， public health， and ecosystem stability （Chen et al.， 2019）. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization （FAO）， heavy metals such as cadmium （Cd）， arsenic （As）， lead （Pb）， mercury （Hg）， and chromium （Cr） affect millions of hectares of farmland worldwide （FAO， 2021）. In China， where rapid industrialization and intensive agriculture have coexisted for decades， farmland heavy metal pollution is particularly acute （Qiu et al.， 2018）. Official surveys indicate that approximately 19.4% of China’s cultivated land exceeds national soil quality standards， with 384 km² severely polluted （Ministry of Ecology and Environment [MEE]， 2019a）.

Given the hidden， cumulative， and often irreversible nature of soil pollution， the Chinese government has placed an increasing emphasis on legal and policy frameworks that integrate pollution prevention with risk management. Starting with the “Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan” （often referred to as the “Soil Ten Measures”） in 2016 and culminating in the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law in 2019， China has gradually established a regulatory foundation. Nonetheless， challenges persist regarding fragmented legislation， inconsistencies in enforcement， and limited funding mechanisms. Against this backdrop， this paper review examines China’s policy and regulatory frameworks on farmland heavy metal pollution， compares international standards， analyzes the interplay between policies and remediation technologies， and proposes recommendations to address persisting gaps.

2. Policy and Regulatory Framework Analysis

2.1 Evolution of China’s Policy Framework

China’s policy on farmland heavy metal pollution prevention and control has evolved significantly since the early 2000s. Landmark documents include the Action Plan for Soil Pollution Prevention and Control （State Council， 2016） and the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law （Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress， 2018）.

Local governments have piloted various measures to refine this classification approach and align it with regional needs. Sichuan Province has pioneered digital archives for farmland pollution monitoring， integrating big data analytics to track contaminated plots over time （Sichuan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment， 2020）.

2.2 International Comparison and Critique

Globally， the European Union （EU） applies strict regulatory limits on heavy metals in soil and sets maximum allowable concentrations for agricultural products （European Commission， 2019）. Compared to the EU， China’s soil standards， such as GB 15618-2018， differentiate between paddy fields and other soil types more explicitly. However， implementation gaps remain. Although China has robust central directives， local execution often varies， resulting in a mismatch between national intentions and on-the-ground outcomes （MEE， 2019b）.

3. Technical Standards and Remediation Practices

3.1 Overview of Remediation Technologies

To tackle farmland heavy metal pollution， various remediation technologies have been developed， each suited to specific contaminants， soil properties， and cost considerations. Among the most common approaches：

In Situ Chemical Immobilization （Passivation）： Adding amendments （e.g.， lime or phosphate） to reduce the mobility of heavy metals in soil. This approach is relatively cost-effective and preserves soil structure but may require repeated applications （Chen et al.， 2020）.

Phytoremediation and Microbial Remediation： Using hyperaccumulator plants or soil microbes to absorb or transform heavy metals. Although eco-friendly and potentially cost-efficient， these methods often demand extended timeframes （Qiu et al.， 2018）.

Agronomic Control： Adjusting crop varieties， fertilizers， and irrigation practices to reduce heavy metal uptake. This can be integrated into normal farming activities， offering immediate risk reduction for crops （Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs [MARA]， 2019）.

3.2 Policy-Driven Adoption of Technologies： The Guangdong Case

China’s classification management system encourages local authorities to tailor technical solutions based on soil contamination severity. Guangdong Province’s “classification governance” exemplifies how policy can stimulate the adoption of remediation techniques （Guangdong Provincial Department of Agriculture， 2020）. Safe Utilization zones primarily adopt agronomic measures， including crop rotation and soil amendments， to meet food safety standards. In contrast， Strict Control zones rely more on advanced in situ immobilization or even crop substitution （e.g.， from rice to non-food crops） to manage severe risks.

4. Challenges and Recommendations

4.1 Fragmented Legislation and Insufficient Financing

One core challenge is the fragmented nature of existing laws and regulations on soil pollution （Zhang & Li， 2021）. Despite efforts to unify legal mandates under the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law， several administrative agencies still manage overlapping responsibilities， creating gaps in data sharing and enforcement. Additionally， funding for large-scale soil remediation lags behind the ambitious targets outlined in national directives. A dedicated financing mechanism—potentially drawing from central funds， polluter-pay principles， and market-based instruments—could significantly accelerate on-ground implementation.

4.2 Unified Evaluation Standards and Strengthened Monitoring

The divergence between “risk control” and “complete remediation” reflects a broader philosophical tension in pollution management （Qiu et al.， 2018）. While risk-based management prioritizes the safety of agricultural products over total elimination of contaminants， it may leave underlying soil problems unresolved. Unified， transparent evaluation criteria that account for both immediate crop safety and long-term soil health are essential. Strengthening the national monitoring network， especially in rural and remote areas， and integrating big data analytics （as seen in Sichuan） would provide robust evidence for policy calibration.

4.3 Enhancing International Collaboration

Heavy metal pollution is not confined within national borders： global trade in agricultural products and the shared challenges of industrial emissions underscore the need for international cooperation. Joint research with the European Union on standardized heavy metal thresholds， cross-border capacity building in remediation technologies， and technology transfer initiatives can help refine China’s policies. This collaboration would also align China with best practices and innovative solutions emerging worldwide （European Commission， 2019）.

4.4 Future Policy Directions

Looking forward， integrating farmland heavy metal pollution control into broader sustainability agendas is crucial. This entails linking soil health with climate change mitigation （via carbon sequestration in soils）， circular agriculture （reuse of treated wastewater and organic fertilizers）， and rural revitalization initiatives. Strengthening the synergy among policies， technologies， and community engagement can facilitate a more holistic and resilient approach.

5. Conclusion

China’s evolving policies and regulations on farmland heavy metal pollution underscore the central role of governance in guiding technology adoption and ensuring safe agricultural practices. The synergy among policy frameworks， cutting-edge remediation technologies， and practical implementation—supported by consistent monitoring—has demonstrated initial success. Yet， challenges remain， including policy fragmentation， insufficient financing， and the philosophical debate between risk-based management and thorough remediation.

To realize sustainable agriculture， future regulations should strive for integrated legislation， strengthened oversight， unified evaluation standards， and enhanced international collaboration. By aligning policy， technology， and local practices under a sustainability framework， China and other nations confronting similar threats can protect farmland resources， safeguard public health， and contribute to global environmental stewardship.

References （Selected）

Chen， T. B.， Zheng， Y. M.， Chen， H.， & Cai， Y. （2019）. Cadmium contamination and its risk management in paddy soils of China. Journal of Hazardous Materials， 381， 120876.

Chen， T. B.， Zhang， W. H.， & Xie， S. （2020）. Advances in chemical immobilization of cadmium in contaminated paddy soil. Science of the Total Environment， 706， 135759.

European Commission. （2019）. EU Soil Strategy and Heavy Metal Standards. Brussels： European Commission Publications.