Beijing sets goals for pollution control

Beijing will implement 69 measures on April 7 to address air pollution from eight aspects, according to a detailed Clean Air Action Plan for 2013.

 Annual tasks will also be assigned to Beijing’s district governments and municipal departments. The city’s annual target is to reduce the concentration of major pollutants by 2 percent each year.

In accordance with the 2013 Beijing Clean Air Action Plan, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been categorized among pollutants that should be controlled and reduced for the first time.

A list for pollutant sources should be identified and an updated mechanism should be set up in each county and district.

All the districts and counties are also required to release calculation rules for total VOC emissions. The VOC emissions list for 2012 should be completed and the goal for atmospheric pollutants emission reduction should be made clear.

VOCs mainly come from auto-emissions, painting, laundry and spray paint. According to the plan, the city will bring down VOC emissions by 8,000 tons this year.

In the plan, stricter procedures should be applied on newly-built, reconstructed, and expanded projects in chemical, printing, furniture and other industries that produce VOCs.

Two visitors get a panorama of the capital atop the Central Radio and TV Tower on a sunny day. Photo by Zou Hong / Asianewsphoto