Beijing Invests Heavily in Pollution Control

Beijing, aspiring to build itself into an international metropolis, has invested nearly 30 billion-yuan in air pollution control since 1998. According to related sources, the air quality of Beijing has been greatly improved with remarkable success achieved in environmental protection.

The recent two years have witnessed the air pollutant density in the urban area of Beijing on a continuous decrease with sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, suspending granules and carbon monoxide dropping respectively by 41, 18, 7 and 21 percent from that in 1998.

In order to reach the basic goal of environmental protection set by the state for 2002 Beijing has taken the following measures:

  • First, expanding the use of clean fuel like natural gas, electricity and coal of high quality with a large number of stoves, kitchens and boilers renovated and rebuilt;


  • Secondly, having worked out the local standard for auto tail-gas emission with a higher requirement than the national criteria. Non-lead gasoline has been introduced for all vehicles in Beijing with188, 000 motor vehicles installed with purging equipment, and over 20,000 taxis and buses powered by environment-friendly fuel;


  • Thirdly, preventing pollution of dust in urban area with the green coverage in the city reaching 36 percent;


  • Fourthly, with industrial enterprises of heavy pollution closed or removed outside the Fourth-Ring Road;


  • And fifthly, having launched the treatment for central water system in urban areas to enhance the protection of water resources.




    • By PD Online staff member Deng Gang


    People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/