Air Pollution Controls Tightened

02/03/2017

Image: China.org.cn

​chinaurbanisationnews

​​​China will issue tougher restrictions on air pollution control, including conducting at least one more large-scale inspection and suspending production in more industries, particularly towards northern regions.

Air Quality Report in 23rd, January, 2017 Image: cen.acs.o

The ongoing monthlong inspection, headed by Minister of Environmental Protection Chen Jining and four deputy ministers, has exposed massive violations by governments and companies in Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong and Shanxi since it was launched on Feb 15.
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According to the national Action Plan on Air Pollution Control and Prevention, Beijing and Tianjin need to lower their concentration levels of PM2.5 - hazardous particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less - to an average of 60 micrograms per cubic meter this year. Hebei province has a target of 67. 

Image: Financialexpress

In January, northern regions experienced deteriorating air quality, with average PM2.5 concentrations in 13 cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region soaring to 128 micrograms per cubic meter, an increase of 43.8 percent compared with December. In addition, Beijing saw average PM2.5 readings of 116 in January, up 70.6 percent compared with December, the ministry said. According to authority, the soaring concentrations are closely related to increasing industrial production, larger coal consumption for heating in rural areas and weather patterns that did not help to disperse pollutants. 

Half of the steel production in Shijiazhuang and Tangshan of Hebei, and Anyang of Henan province, was suspended for the Nov 15 to March 15 heating season, which covers more cities than the existing restrictions conducted last year. The production restrictions will extend to more polluting industries like electrolytic aluminum and chemical plants, and 28 major cities in the region will be banned from using coal this year, the ministry said.

​Read the original article at China Daily

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