China’s State Environmental Protection Council released a report on Tuesday, announcing 45% of the country’s chemical plants pose grave risks to the environment, Xinhua news agency reports. Environmental safety measures need to be strengthened to ease the problem resulted from decades of disorganization of chemical industry distribution.   Among 7555 investigated plants, 2489 are located in urban or densely-populated areas and 280 are located within 10km of officially protected sources of water. 81% in total are found near such environmental sensitive zones as water bodies and 45% are of great risks.   Pan Yu, the Deputy Director of the State Environment Protection Council, efficient risk management and environmental safety measures are essential in preventing further accidents and pollutions.   Chemical industry, which is often located near water for convenient transport, has been the major source of water pollution. Accidents and explosion in the past several months also call for tightened control over high-risk chemical plants.   The Council also announced yesterday that chemical plants have to pass the inspection and prevent pollution from the source or suspension of production or construction.