BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- China's official figures for solid waste discharge underestimate the real situation - inspectors have found that firms and local governments are cheating on the figures.

    A pollution control inspection report conducted by China's parliament found that, for example, there could be as much as 5 million tons of toxic chromium waste nationwide instead of the 4.1million tons official figures indicate.

    "Many firms report a lower figure for chromium waste for fear of being punished," said Sheng Huaren, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), on Saturday when briefing lawmakers on the report.

    A locality earlier reported that they had only 3,000 tons of chromium waste but raised the figure to 100,000 tons after they learned that the government would build reprocessing facilities for them instead of fining them, said Sheng.

    The report was based on NPC deputies' recent inspection of environmental protection efforts in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

    "We found it was a common practice for localities to underestimate pollution figures," Sheng said, referring to the chromium example.

    The State Council had planned to build 43 chromium treatment projects in 2005 but only five facilities were currently under construction, Sheng said, noting that only 173,000 tons of chromium waste were properly treated.

    Frauds were also found in the government's figures on household waste discharge, the report said.

    The official statistics showed that, in 2005, while 52 percent of the nation's household waste was processed, only 35 percent of the garbage was "properly" treated to prevent it causing pollution.

    About 15 percent of the garbage treated failed health standards, Sheng said, adding that sub-standard treatment would seriously pollute soil, underground water, and pose security threats.

    The accumulation of methane in some dumping yards had led to explosions, Sheng warned.

    He said the inspection team also found that the construction of facilities to treat dangerous industrial and medical waste was proceeding too slowly.

    The State Council had called for 331 such sites nationwide but so far only 70 facilities had been set up.

    "In some cities, medical waste treatment regulations are incomplete, in other places, construction of waste treatment facilities has been delayed because of the difficulty of choosing a location," Sheng added. Enditem