Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Aug 30, 2025

China finds way to improve air quality

China finds way to improve air quality

Beijing experienced its best air quality for Lunar New Year’s Eve in nine years
Air quality in China’s capital on Lunar New Year’s Eve was the best it has been since monitoring began in 2013, thanks to a fireworks ban introduced in an apparent effort to clean the city’s air ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics.

The update on air pollution readings was given by the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau on Tuesday. The average concentration of hazardous airborne PM 2.5 particles stood at 5 micrograms per cubic meter on Monday night. This was a significant drop compared to the average of 289 micrograms seen last Lunar New Year’s Eve.

Beijing put a complete ban on fireworks in place across the city this year, while previously they had only been banned in the center.

Other cities across northern China, including Zhangjiakou, which is co-hosting the Winter Olympics, also introduced a ban on selling and lighting fireworks.

The Chinese authorities did not directly link the firework restrictions to the upcoming Winter Olympics. However, officials had previously promised to take action against air pollutants in the capital after a Ministry of Ecology and Environment spokesman said the weather conditions in winter would be “very unfavorable” to sustain good air quality during the games.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held from February 4 to 20 in Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei. The area is prone to heavy smog, especially in winter, and the authorities have shut down polluting firms and factories and promoted green energy consumption to curb the environmental problem.

Traditionally, Chinese people celebrate the Lunar New Year by lighting up fireworks and firecrackers, which are believed to bring good luck for the rest of the year. For this reason, the restriction sparked negative reactions among internet users across the country.

“It's boring to not allow the fireworks for the New Year. What's the difference from usual? The traditions are lost,” Reuters quoted one Weibo user as saying.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
×