Polluted province overshoots capacity cut target

SHIJIAZHUANG — Northern China's Hebei province has already met this year's industrial capacity reduction target, cutting over 46.2 million metric tons of iron and steel capacity, 10.5 million tons of coal and 2.6 million tons of cement.

"Reducing capacity is fundamental to supply-side structural reform and a way to curb air pollution," Li Qian, vice-governor of Hebei, told a provincial political advisors meeting.

"Hebei has stringent environmental protection standards which apply to both energy and water consumption. We have reduced charcoal capacity by eight million tons," he said.

A total of 69,000 companies which were not properly licensed or failed to meet emission standards have been closed this year, he said.

In order to combat winter smog, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan and Handan will halve their steel production. Production of charcoal and casting industries will also be limited, he said.

From January to October this year, PM2.5 density in Hebei rose by 8.5 percent year-on-year, down 38.5 percent compared to 2013.

The province is aiming for a 40-percent cut in PM2.5 density by 2020, compared to 2013 levels.