06-01-2007 10:18
Special Report:???2008 Beijing Olympics
As the countdown to the 2008 Olympics continues, the Beijing Municipal government has described its progress in reducing air pollution in the city.
Beijing's air quality has improved in recent years. In the urban area, air quality was classified as "fairly good" on 241 days in 2006. The government says the average annual concentrations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in the air have now reached national standards.
Huge numbers of cars in Beijing have brought a new source of pollution to the city. But a number of measures have been taken to reduce this.
Ji Lin, executive vice mayor of Beijing, said, "Beijing has been taking the lead in implementing emission standards for new cars. Beijing will implement state IV emission standards in 2008. A number of old buses and taxis will be taken off the roads. And we will carry out oil-gas recycling treatment of gas stations to reduce pollution from volatile organic substance."
The Beijing Coking and Chemical Works was closed last July, reducing coal consumption and discharges of smoke, dust and sulfur dioxide. The Capital Iron and Steel Group has closed one of its blast furnaces and a coke oven. And it plans to reduce its steel output by 4 million tons by the end of this year.
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Editor:Liu Fang
