New solutions to improve the environment have been released, saying the dustfall downtown should be reduced and efforts should be made to increase the green area in the provincial capital. The Implementation Scheme on improving Shijiazhuang air and environment in 2013 stipulates harsh requirements in 10 aspects, covering vehicle emissions, dust and firing coal in the provincial capital, aiming to mitigate pollution this year. According to the scheme, the dustfall downtown should be reduced by 5 percent. Another 6 million square meters of green space will be built in the city, increasing the forest coverage rate to 33 percent. By the end of October, a thermal power plant will be closed.

Companies that produce cement and other building materials were a focal point during the new round of management actions. About 53 companies in the construction industry will be closed by the end of 2015. Seven other thermal power enterprises and eight steel companies are required to upgrade their environment protection facilities; otherwise they will be shut down.

Vehicle emissions are another major source of air pollution. To reduce emissions, leaders with access to public vehicles are required to use public vehicles no more than four days per week.

In addition, the municipal government will make 350 petrol-fuel buses obsolete and add 600 new-energy buses to the public transportation system by the end of this year. Since May 1, vehicles no longer fit for use will be scrapped mandatorily.

Vehicles that carry with dregs must have covers during transportation and install GPS by the end of this year.

Along with the tough measures to reduce air pollution, there will be eight pilot zones for air pollution control in the city in 2013, covering 50 square kilometers, or 23.8 percent of the whole downtown area.

In these pilot zones, all construction areas should meet non-pollution standards. All exposed land, coal piles and garbage should have covers. Scattered coal-fueled boilers will be transformed to use gas or electricity.