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February 18, 2011

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City strives to return to Expo air conditions

LOCAL authorities will take measures to control dust pollution and straw burning this year in order to return to the clean air conditions Shanghai residents enjoyed during last year's World Expo, said the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau.

The city's air quality has been widely described as getting worse by locals since the six-month event ended. The poor air quality has been mainly caused by the resumption of work at construction sites across the city and farmers burning straw.

Similar to the practice during the grand event, the bureau said they might ban people from burning straw and will "encourage farmers to grow crops that produce less straw."

Pan Dongming, a deputy at the Shanghai People's Congress, told Shanghai Daily yesterday that local farmers will get subsidies if they recycle or dispose of straw in an environmentally friendly way.

Pan, an official in Songjiang District, proposed offering -subsidies for farmers because of the high cost of recycling straw. "I hope more -scientific research can be conducted on the subject."

The bureau said producers of organic fertilizers will receive subsidies if they collect straw from farmers and reuse it.

As for dust pollution, all -construction sites are required to pave their roads in cement, and vehicles have to be cleaned before leaving sites, according to the environment watchdog.

Liu Jiaxin, director of Minhang District Environmental Protection Bureau, said earlier that docks, along with construction sites, are also key areas of dust control. "We will check what facilities they have for preventing dust pollution."

In addition, Shanghai will continue many of the successful practices -during the Expo, such as the renovation of old houses and stricter management of street venders, -announced local legislators.




 

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