"In some places, backward facilities or enterprises which have already been phased out may surface again," Zhou said.

In the first quarter of this year, China already saw a 1.2 percent increase in the emissions of sulfur dioxide, a major air pollutant, compared with the same period last year, as the country's economic growth accelerated to 11.9 percent.

China has witnessed a steady drop major air and water pollutants in the past three years, thanks to stringent environmental regulations and the closure of highly polluting, energy intensive companies.

Still, new environmental problems such as heavy metal pollution have also emerged in recent years, Zhou said.

The ministry received 12 cases related to heavy metal pollution last year, with 4,035 people suffering excessive blood lead levels and 182 people afflicted with excessive cadmium levels.

"We have also seen an increase in the frequency of severe pollution accidents throughout the country," Zhou said.

Last year, the country recorded 171 emergency pollution cases, a 26.7 percent rise year-on-year.

Last February, 1 million residents of Yancheng, Jiangsu province, were reportedly left without tap water after highly toxic carbolic acid from a local chemical company contaminated drinking water sources.

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