Environmental reins tightened on companies

Zhao said that the soaring concentrations are closely related to increasing industrial production, larger coal consumption for heating in rural areas and weather patterns that did not help to disperse pollutants.

“It also shows that the efforts to control air pollution in winter were not as effective as expected, so the ministry will strengthen those efforts,” he said.

In addition to more inspections, the ministry also issued tougher restrictions targeting polluting industries, coal consumption and vehicle exhaust emissions the northern regions.

Half of the steel production in Shijiazhuang and Tangshan of Hebei, and Anyang of Henan province, was suspended for the Nov 15 to March 15 heating season, which covers more cities than the existing restrictions conducted last year, Zhao said.

The production restrictions will extend to more polluting industries like electrolytic aluminum and chemical plants, and 28 major cities in the region will be banned from using coal this year, the ministry said.

FAN JUN / XINHUA A monk attempts to put out a fire using a blanket during a fire-control training session at Zhenru Monastery in Shanghai on Wednesday. A firefighting squad comprised of 12 monks was recently established at the temple, which has a nearly 80-year...