N China polluted city improves air quality by hefty investment

SHIJIAZHUANG - Shijiazhuang, one of the major polluted cities in north China's Hebei Province, saw remarkable improvement of air quality after a hefty investment last year, said the city's mayor Wang Liang.

The capital city of Hebei invested nearly 1.6 billion yuan ($261 million) in treating air pollution, said Wang on Tuesday at the annual session of the city's legislature.

Shijiazhuang witnessed 114 days of excellent or good air quality in 2014, or 71 days more than in 2013. The number of seriously polluted days also fell by 51.

The city's density of PM2.5 and PM10, two key air pollution indicators, dropped by 19.5 percent and 32.5 percent respectively.

Shijiazhuang was often listed as one of the country's worst polluted cities.

Last year, the city reduced 7 million tonnes of coal consumption, 1.1 millon tonnes of iron and steel capacity and 18 million tonnes of cement production capacity.

The city also improved pollutant emission facilities for 14 thermoelectric companies and removed 80,000 heavy polluting vehicles from roads.

It aims to cut down coal consumption by 2.7 million tonnes and close small coal-burning boilers this year. Meanwhile, the city will displace 19 industrial companies in the downtown.

Hebei, which neighbors Beijing, is struggling to cut its excessive capacities to handle air pollution.