Analyzing environmental sustainability from pollution sources is crucial for reducing pollution and advancing carbon peak and neutrality goals. This study uses Zhejiang Province, a typical coastal area in China, to develop a pollution source classification system, assess environmental stress intensity, and identify spatial patterns. The study also proposes a hierarchical control approach that integrates control levels and strategies. The findings reveal significant spatial variation in environmental stress across Zhejiang, with coastal cities facing higher stress than inland areas. Industrial sources in counties show a greater environmental impact. A classification system with 7 secondary categories and 21 tertiary categories is proposed, with the environmental stress index ranging from a maximum of 0.432 to a minimum of 0.013. The system emphasizes controlling “point” sources in urban and rural residential areas and industrial and mining production areas, “linear” sources in mobile transportation, and “planar” sources in agricultural planting and production breeding areas. The control levels for typical regions – dominated by industrial, agricultural, domestic, or ecological sources – range from Level IV to Level 0, requiring tailored environmental control strategies. The graded control measures based on environmental stress intensity and spatial characteristics can be effectively integrated with other environmental functional zoning systems, enhancing the precision of environmental management.