China Orders Cities on "Pollution Highways" to Reduce Emissions

Another bout of heavy pollution is headed our way and is expected to linger until Thursday, when a cold front will roll into the capital and help disperse the smog.

In an effort to help curb the pollution that will plague numerous areas of northern China this week, cities located on three pollution “highways” in China are now being asked to work together to cut down on emissions, officials announced Monday.

The geographical layout and meteorological conditions of these three corridors allow high levels of pollution to rapidly travel up to the northern regions of the country, including Beijing. Twenty cities, including Anyang and Tangshan, lie on these pollution highways. According to the environmental ministry, pollution emanating from smokestacks (measuring over 45 meters) in these cities can reach Beijing in a matter of hours. Last year, inspection teams were sent to roughly 1,000 factories to deal with the matter.

The goal is to help Beijing to reduce PM2.5 levels to 60 micrograms per cubic meter this year. In 2016 the daily average of PM2.5 in the capital was 73.