Beijing meets national air pollutant standard for first time
Announcement comes after figures suggest that the capital is making progress in tackling the city’s notorious smog
Beijing has met a national standard for the first time that sets a safe level for one type of harmful air pollutant, according to the city’s environmental protection bureau.
The levels of PM2.5 – small particles in the air deemed particularly harmful to health – averaged 34 micrograms per cubic metre last month, the bureau said on Wednesday. The national standard is below 35 micrograms, it said. The benchmark was first set by the authorities in 2012.
Twenty-five of the 31 days in January also saw “good” or “excellent” air quality, according to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.
The reduction in PM2.5 levels amounted to a 70.7 per cent cut compared with the same month last year. The improvements mean the capital’s average air quality ranks eighth among all cities in China.
Beijing entered the top 10 rankings for the first time in December.