Thanks to COVID-19... China Significantly Improves Fine Dust Levels

[Asia Economy Reporter Seong Giho] Last year, air quality in China significantly improved due to the shutdown caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Hong Kong media reported on the 15th, citing data from China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, that the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in 337 major cities in China last year averaged 33㎍/㎥, a decrease of 8.3% compared to the previous year. The improvement was attributed to the shutdown caused by COVID-19 and the impact of stringent environmental regulations.

The concentration of fine particulate matter in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province also dropped by an average of 10.5% compared to the previous year, reaching 51㎍/㎥. However, this level remains higher than China's official air quality standard (35㎍/㎥) and more than five times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) annual guideline (10㎍/㎥).