China sends inspectors to check air pollution

Inspection teams are to be sent to cities and provinces throughout China that have been heavily affected by smog caused by air pollution, according to Reuters in Beijing. China's Environment Ministry said that the teams will help to ensure that air pollution rules are being enforced in the worst affected areas as the country starts to cut down on emissions. 

Despite China's work to reduce air pollution, the country continues to experience strong smog in many urban areas. The most recent city to experience dangerous levels of smog is Harbin, which experienced particulate pollution that was measured at around 50 times higher than the World Health Organization recommends, reports the news provider. The thick smog resulted in the city of 11 million individuals closing schools and businesses.

The heavy levels of smog in the city have been put down to the turning on of central heating, much of which is powered by coal. Central heating is switched on for winter on a date that is chosen by the Chinese government and heats around 65 per cent of the city, according to 2012's figures as reported by the state media.

Many local governments throughout the country have struggled to follow the air pollution rules as the drive for growth results in continued use of coal to power industry. It has also been suggested that local governments have falsified emissions data on occasion to make it appear that they are following the central government's air pollution rules, said the news provider.

It was announced on the Environment Ministry's website that inspection teams would now be launched to check that areas throughout the Beijing region, Chengdu, Urumqi, Chongqing and the Pearl and Yangtze river deltas are operating within emissions guidelines. They will also visit any other areas of the country that suffers from heavy smog.

Checks will include ensuring that power plants closed by the central government have remained closed, that equipment to control emissions has been installed in factories and that local governments are following and enforcing all emissions guidelines, said the ministry.