Air quality worst in Beijing and nearby in February

The Ministry of Environmental Protection released data showing that Beijing, Tianjin and nearby cities in Hebei province had some of China’s worst air quality in February.

Data revealed that smog covered 15 provinces and regions, over 1.8 million square kilometres, from February 20 to 26, with PM 2.5, microscopic hazardous particles in the air, being the biggest cause of the region’s air pollution.

Last week, a Beijing official has called for the introduction of a "smog subsidy" for outdoor workers. The demand came after it was revealed that last year, only four percent of 74 major Chinese cities met national air quality standards.

On the upside, in February seven cities met the standards, including Kunming, Haikou and Shenzhen.

[Image via CNS]