Air quality gets better test (3)

Zhang Xiangzhi, from the Jiangsu Environmental Monitoring Center, said the fact that 13 cities in Jiangsu, 11 in Zhejiang, and Shanghai had decided to update their system on the same day can better control air pollution in the Yangtze River Delta.

"The problem of air quality is regional, and to gather assessment results in a relatively bigger area is believed to be useful in terms of joint prevention of air pollution," she said.

She said the new system, giving air quality readings from 13 cities in the province, means she will be able to see changes over a 24-hour period once she logs into the system.

Zhang said she is not worried about potential complaints from people living in Jiangsu who might find they have a worse air quality reading after the update. "The whole purpose of updating the reporting systems is to give the public a more comprehensive and concrete statement (of air quality)," she said.

Shanghai authorities say an app for mobile phones on the Air Quality Index will be available.

Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, said last weekend it will update its air monitoring system from the Air Pollution Index to the Air Quality Index from next year.