Related stories

Call for Toilets in Business Venues to Open to Public Rocky Route to Business Success Slope Off to a Winter Ski Thrill “DeepComp 6800” supercomputer to contribute to High Tech Olympics District Head: Come to Xuanwu for Business, Culture

Emergency Plan to Clear Winter Pollution

Emergency plans, which could see factories slash production, have been made to tackle heavy air pollution during Beijing's winter, an official with the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said.

According to bureau Vice-Director Du Shaozhong, the plan, which will swing into action after two consecutive days of heavy pollution, was made after consultations with government departments and companies.

To clear the city's air, street cleaning and sprinkling work will be organized and heavily polluting factories will be ordered to reduce emissions.

As of Sunday, Beijing had seen 190 "blue-sky days" this year, eight more than at the same time last year.

However, "Looking at the changing trend in Beijing's weather over the past few winters, the situation is not very promising," Du said.

According to Du, air pollution in Beijing is growing increasingly complex and the emergency plan is an important step in dealing with the problem.

The official said the bureau would pay close attention to curbing pollution stemming from the burning of coal for heating during the winter.

High-quality coal with low sulphur and ash content is recommended for heating in the winter, and the municipal government will invest in replacing coal with cleaner fuels in small furnaces.