Although the progress of pollution control in China has accelerated significantly, overall, the total emission of pollutants remains at an extremely high level, which has approached or even exceeded the environmental carrying capacity. In some regions and during certain periods, the excess is quite substantial. Generally speaking, the environmental situation remains very severe. This is because China is still in a special development stage of urbanization and industrialization—environmental issues will inevitably arise as long as development proceeds.

China is currently facing an unprecedented contradiction between development and the environment in human history, and there is still a long way to go before reaching a turning point. Environmental problems should be solved in the course of development: we must not rush for quick results, nor should we expect an overly rapid solution; more importantly, we must not let things drift or adopt a lazy approach to governance with inaction.

Experts from the Development Research Center of the State Council point out that China is still in the climbing phase of the "inverted U-shaped" Environmental Kuznets Curve and is about to cross the peak. However, the "inflection point" of pollutant emissions does not mean an immediate improvement in environmental quality. A significant improvement in environmental quality requires a relatively long period of time. The coming period will be a transition phase for the emission of major pollutants and a period with relatively complex environmental quality conditions. Based on international experience and comprehensive analysis, it is predicted that it will take approximately 20 years for China’s environmental quality (such as air quality) to achieve a fundamental improvement and basically reach the current environmental quality level of European and American countries.

At present, strict environmental supervision will significantly reduce the pollution level of key industries. However, at a certain stage, the emission reduction effect of large-scale construction of pollution reduction and control facilities in key industries for industrial waste gas treatment will gradually diminish. Strengthening environmental supervision over non-key industries and scattered small and medium-sized enterprises to ensure their pollutant emissions comply with standards is precisely the potential for medium- and long-term pollutant emission reduction.

To this end, we should adopt a multi-pronged approach to strengthen pollution prevention and control in China. The control of pollutant emissions should gradually shift from the extensive "total emission reduction" control to the "refined" control oriented by environmental quality. Meanwhile, efforts should be stepped up in the development of organic waste gas treatment, industrial waste gas purification, plastic waste gas treatment, and rubber waste gas treatment.

Waste gas treatment and purification equipment are widely used in industries that generate odorous, foul-smelling, toxic, and harmful gases, such as chemical plants, electronics factories, painting factories, automobile factories, coating factories, petrochemical industries, furniture factories, food factories, rubber factories, and plastic factories. Among the various types of waste gas purification equipment, those with low cost, low energy consumption, no secondary pollution should be selected based on specific conditions, and every effort should be made to save energy and promote environmental protection. For example, the CHO-91 waste gas purification tower—a representative equipment in the industrial waste gas treatment and purification industry—adopts a five-stage waste gas adsorption, filtration, and purification system. Its waste gas purification design is thorough, realizing multi-layer purification and filtration of waste gas. It has successfully undertaken the purification of spray painting waste gas for the Olympic rowing events, achieving excellent results. Common types of waste gas purification towers include acid mist waste gas purification towers, FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) waste gas purification towers, biological waste gas purification towers, and PP (Polypropylene) spray waste gas purification towers.

Organic waste gas treatment products use specially designed high-energy, high-ozone UV (ultraviolet) light beams to irradiate odorous gases, breaking the molecular bonds of odorous substances such as ammonia, trimethylamine, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, carbon disulfide, styrene, sulfides (H₂S), VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), benzene, toluene, and xylene. This process allows free pollutant molecules to combine with ozone through oxidation to form small-molecule harmless or low-harm compounds such as CO₂ (carbon dioxide) and H₂O (water). After odorous gases are introduced into the purification equipment via exhaust systems, the equipment uses high-energy UV light beams and ozone to conduct a synergistic decomposition and oxidation reaction on the odorous gases, degrading and converting the odorous substances into small-molecule compounds, water, and carbon dioxide. These products are then discharged outdoors through exhaust pipes.

We must clearly recognize that contemporary society is a "waste-generating society" characterized by mass production, mass consumption, and mass waste discharge. In contrast, a "circular society" reduces environmental load. To achieve sustainable development, we must build a circular society.