Northern China reduces air pollution

As temperatures drop, many northern cities in China have switched on their heating systems. Some systems rely on coal, which results in severe air pollution. This year, though, some cities have cut down on polluting sources, and even closed some factories. Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province, is among them.

This is the house of Meng Huanxi. His family will say goodbye to their small coal oven this winter, and enjoy the warmth provided by a centralized heating system.

Meng Huanxi, said, "Burning fuel was dirty and tiring. It's also quite expensive. We're happy that we're switching over to central heating. Not only will the house be warmer, but it's much better for the environment. "

Because of a lack of network heating pipes, villagers have been setting up coal ovens in their homes to keep warm in winter. From the middle of this year, More than ten thousand blackened chimneys have now been removed. About 22 villages will no longer burn coal in their homes any more.

Worker Yin Fei said, "The locals are in favor of removing of the old boilers and chimneys. They're happy that we're making their environment cleaner."

As natural gas substitutes coal, many are happy about the changeover, but some feel nostalgic. In April, Taiyuan's 30 year old coking plant closed as part of the environmental improvement plan. More than a thousand workers will now be relocated to other factories.

Wang Minqin, a worker at Taiyuan Coal Gasification Group, said, "I've witnessed the factory's development. I spent my youth here. It's hard to say goodbye. But I understand that closing the factory meets environmental needs. We've made our contributions for a better Taiyuan. I feel it's worth it. I also expect the government can offer policies to support our career development in the future."

This factory is not the only one that has to be closed. Shanxi is China's most coal-rich province. As the capital city, Taiyuan has long suffered with high levels of pollution.

But now the local government is striving to make a change. More than a hundred billion yuan has been invested in five major projects to improve the environment, including the expansion of a centralized heating system, relocation of polluting factories, water quality improvement and urban village demolition. Eight polluting enterprises will have been relocated by the end of this September.

The removal of tens of thousands of chimneys symbolizes the removal of old concepts. With rapid economic growth, China is paying increasing attention to environmental protection. Among its priorities, the recently concluded 18th CPC National Congress also resolved to build an ecological civilization. This means that China will put more emphasis on balancing development and the natural environment to build a more beautiful country.