Civil environmental public interest litigation by the People’s Procuratorate of Jinan City of Shandong Province against Jinan * Oncology Hospital Co., Ltd. et al. over Environmental Pollution

The People’s Procuratorate of Jinan City filed a civil public-interest lawsuit after environmental authorities found that gamma-knife medical equipment containing radioactive sources had been left idle without proper disposal for years. Three medical institutions – Jinan Oncology Hospital Co., Ltd., Jinan People’s Hospital, and Jinan Jiu Hospital – had failed to fulfil their legal obligations for risk control and disposal, creating a potential radiation pollution hazard. The court issued an injunction forbidding unauthorized disposal, then ordered the three defendants jointly and severally to bear CNY 2.9 million in disposal costs and to complete lawful procedures. On appeal, the Shandong High People’s Court affirmed joint liability and authorized advance enforcement so the funds could be used immediately for safe disposal. The case clarifies that multiple entities who fail to eliminate significant environmental risks may bear joint liability even before damage occurs and demonstrates the preventive function of injunctions and preliminary enforcement in environmental public-interest litigation.