Emissions slashed in bid to boost air quality

Beijing will implement five new pollutant emission standards on July 1, the municipal environment authority said on Wednesday.

In an attempt to further reduce air pollution, strict emission limits will be set for boilers, petroleum refining and petrochemicals, printing, the manufacture of wooden furniture and crematoria, according to the Beijing Municipal Environment Protection Bureau.

The move is targeted to reduce major airborne pollutants - nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which may pose a threat to the liver, kidneys and nervous system below a certain concentration and for prolonged exposure.

From July 1, new boilers are required to only discharge airborne pollutants of less than 80 milligrams per cubic meter, down from the current 150 milligrams and the limit will be further cut to 30 milligrams in 2017, the new standard said.

By 2020, the capital can reduce the emission of nitrogen oxide by 30,000 tons annually, equivalent to only 30 percent of the amount released in 2013.

It is the first time emission standards for petroleum refining and the petrochemical industry have been revised in Beijing. The new standards are expected to reduce VOC emission by 50 percent annually, the bureau said.

By the end of August, the capital will release more new emission standards for other industries such as vehicle manufacturing and repair and industrial painting.