Beijing to collect construction dust pollution fee

BEIJING - Beijing will start levying construction dust pollution fees from March 1, the municipal environmental protection bureau announced on Friday.

"Dust accounts for approximately 14 percent of PM 2.5 (fine particle) pollution in Beijing," said Yao Hui, deputy director of the bureau.

Yao said the fee will go directly into a fund managed by the city's finance bureau to support treatment and monitoring of dust pollution sources in Beijing.

A construction site produces an average of 0.26 kg of dust per sq meter every month, Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection estimated based on on-site supervision and follow-up over the past two years.

Dust treatment costs are about 3 yuan (48 US cents) per kg. Construction sites will be rated "good," "qualified" or "disqualified."

Projects such as public rental housing, disaster relief, emergency rescue and residential renovation are exempted, Yao said.