SHIJIAZHUANG, June 7 (Xinhua) -- In the first five months this year, north China's Hebei Province saw its air quality index down 0.9 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the province's department of ecology and environment.
In May, Hebei's average concentration of PM2.5, airborne particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter that pose serious health risks, was 33 micrograms per cubic meter, meeting the national standard of good air quality.
Due to adverse meteorological conditions and other reasons, the average PM2.5 concentration in Hebei increased by 25 percent in January and 19.7 percent in February. Thus, Hebei has redoubled its efforts to improve the air quality by means of cutting overcapacity and using clean energy since March, said local authorities.
Hebei has set two targets of reducing air pollution this year, including reducing the average PM2.5 concentration by 5 percent.
