Home » Metro » Environment
Breathe easy as plan readied
By Cai Wenjun |
February 1, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PRODUCTION at heavily polluting factories might be suspended or restricted during the 2010 World Expo period, Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau officials said yesterday.
It is part of an emergency plan to be worked out by the bureau to ensure excellent air quality during the Expo, officials said.
Although details were not made public, bureau official Xi Ailing said the emergency plan will be separate from the regular work plan.
The regular plan includes a halt to downtown construction work and control over burning hay and rice stalks in farmland, Xi said.
But the emergency plan won't be publicized and will only be enforced when the air quality is very poor or in case of an accident, she said.
Under the request of the city government, the bureau said it will ensure that more than 95 percent of the days during the Expo have excellent or fine air quality by controlling industrial pollution and vehicle emissions.
The environmental bureau will also coordinate with neighboring provinces to reduce pollution.
"The World Expo lasts for six months, much longer than the two-week period of the Beijing Olympics," Xi said. "Our principle is not to impact the lives of local people or production."
In December, a bureau news release said it was prepared to take emergency measures like restricting production at some highly polluting factories; ordering a halt to painting operations at auto plants, repair stations and other enterprises; and creating artificial rain in some regions.
Xi said the plan was rejected by the Shanghai government.
"The plan was made after watching what was done for the Beijing Olympics, but because the Expo is much longer it was rejected," Xi said. "Still, we have done a lot to control industrial pollution. Automobile emissions are actually our major concern."
In a bid to hold a clean Expo, the bureau has ordered all new cars, buses, taxis, and sanitation and post office vehicles to meet National IV emission standards since November 1, ahead of the national deadline in 2011.
Heavily polluting vehicles were banned from running inside the Middle Ring Road since August to cut down on vehicle emissions downtown.
"With the Expo in mind, we will issue some new bans on highly polluting vehicles from other provinces, but the final plan are still under discussion and will require approval from the Ministry of Environmental Protection," Xi said.
It is part of an emergency plan to be worked out by the bureau to ensure excellent air quality during the Expo, officials said.
Although details were not made public, bureau official Xi Ailing said the emergency plan will be separate from the regular work plan.
The regular plan includes a halt to downtown construction work and control over burning hay and rice stalks in farmland, Xi said.
But the emergency plan won't be publicized and will only be enforced when the air quality is very poor or in case of an accident, she said.
Under the request of the city government, the bureau said it will ensure that more than 95 percent of the days during the Expo have excellent or fine air quality by controlling industrial pollution and vehicle emissions.
The environmental bureau will also coordinate with neighboring provinces to reduce pollution.
"The World Expo lasts for six months, much longer than the two-week period of the Beijing Olympics," Xi said. "Our principle is not to impact the lives of local people or production."
In December, a bureau news release said it was prepared to take emergency measures like restricting production at some highly polluting factories; ordering a halt to painting operations at auto plants, repair stations and other enterprises; and creating artificial rain in some regions.
Xi said the plan was rejected by the Shanghai government.
"The plan was made after watching what was done for the Beijing Olympics, but because the Expo is much longer it was rejected," Xi said. "Still, we have done a lot to control industrial pollution. Automobile emissions are actually our major concern."
In a bid to hold a clean Expo, the bureau has ordered all new cars, buses, taxis, and sanitation and post office vehicles to meet National IV emission standards since November 1, ahead of the national deadline in 2011.
Heavily polluting vehicles were banned from running inside the Middle Ring Road since August to cut down on vehicle emissions downtown.
"With the Expo in mind, we will issue some new bans on highly polluting vehicles from other provinces, but the final plan are still under discussion and will require approval from the Ministry of Environmental Protection," Xi said.
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