Tianjin sees PM2.5 density decrease by 35.4% in five years

Tianjin witnessed PM2.5 density, which was 62 micrograms/cubic meter in 2017, down by 10.1 percent year-on-year and 35.4 percent from 2013. Vice Mayor of Tianjin Sun Wenkui disclosed the data at the recently held third meeting of the Standing Committee of the 17th National People's Congress of Tianjin.

209 days met the air quality standard in 2017, an increase of 64 days compared to 2013. Air quality index, being 6.53, fell by 28 percent. Of the six major pollutants, SO2 and CO meet the national standard; significant decrease of densities of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were identified, and O3 was only higher in summer.

In the winter of 2017 to 2018, the period with the worst air pollution, the city's average PM2.5 density was 63 micrograms per cubic meters, down by 33.7 percent year-on-year. And only 10 heavy pollution days were seen, decreasing by 71.4 percent from the previous year.

With these improvements, Tianjin outperformed the quota of the government requiring the density of PM2.5 to decrease by 25 percent, and the number of heavy pollution days by 20 percent on a yearly basis.

Tianjin's PM2.5 density and improvement rate were ranked 3rd and 5th respectively in "2+26" cities in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and surrounding areas. This is the best level since the implementation of Ten Measures For Improving Air Quality by the country in 2013.

To continue reducing pollutants in 2018, Tianjin will fully promote the concept of green development, speed up the optimization of industrial layout, adjust the industrial structure, strengthen ecological protection and restoration, increase the supervision of environmental law enforcement and achieve continuous air quality improvement.

According to Tianjin's target, the annual average density of PM2.5 in the city will drop below 59 micrograms/cubic meter in 2018, and the proportion of good days will reach 61 percent.