Legal Department of CBCGDF Wrote to Chengdu Railway Bureau to Re-push Smoking Control on “Green Car”

On October 9, Legal Department of CBCGDF received a tip-off from the public with some photos attached: Chengdu Railway Bureau has not yet a common slow train to implement the entire train smoking ban, with smoking areas and problematic smoking devices inside the train.

It is understood that the Chengdu Municipal Railway Bureau has jurisdiction over trains Z150, K9501, K9585, T237 and other trains, almost all with smoking areas and smoking devices, and smoking is allowed on the train, resulting in serious air pollution in the carriage, which is harmful for health of passengers (especially pregnant women and minors and the elderly, etc.).

The Legal Department of CBCGDF also sent a letter to Chengdu Railway Bureau in this regard, suggesting that the widespread problem of smoking areas and smoking devices in green cars be solved and that effective measures be taken in the following aspects.

First, take appropriate ways to eliminate the ashtray by covering, blocking, and transforming it, and not to set up smoking devices.

Second, cancel signs in the smoking area.

Third, offer smoking control tips in the carriage.

On January 4, 2021, in order to promote the construction of “smoke-free trains and smoke-free Olympics”, CBCGDF filed a public interest lawsuit against the Beijing Railway Bureau, Lanzhou Railway Bureau and the National Railway Company for smoking control after repeated field investigations and evidence gathering regarding the smoking area and smoking devices on the K41/K42 trains passing through the 2022 Winter Olympic Games sites. On the same day, the case was formally filed in the Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court, which was also the first case of environmental public interest litigation accepted by the People’s Court after the official implementation of the Civil Code. In April, 2021, under the auspices of the court, CBCGDF conducted mediation with the three defendants, and the litigation request was realized.

In order to continue to promote the comprehensive smoking ban on common slow trains, safeguard the health of passengers and protect the public interest of society, the Legal Department of CBCGDF will follow up the progress of the resolution of this case and reserve the right to file environmental public interest litigation.