Face mask vendors in China watch sales decline due to air quality improvement

Beijing. March 20. Silkroadnews - Face mask vendors in China had a bad time in the past winter as improving air quality dampened sales, the newspaper “People’s Daily” reported.
“Anti-pollution masks sold on Alibaba's online marketplace Tmall saw noticeable decline, with the number sold to residents in Beijing dropping 52 percent year-on-year during the first half of December. Sales in nearby regions such as Tianjin and Shijiazhuang also dropped compared with last year,” the report reads.
The decline in sales of products related to smog protection was due to the fact that some of the Chinese cities enjoyed the lowest level of air pollution within five years.
Reportedly, within the past five years, the central government of China has invested more than 60 billion yuan ($9.47 billion) to fight against air pollution, Minister of Environment Protection Li Ganjie said.
The level of harmful particles known as PM2.5 in Beijing has dropped to 34 micrograms per cubic meter in January, the lowest monthly level since 2013, when China launched a national campaign to combat air pollution.
Throughout the country, the average PM2.5 level in 338 cities was 43 micrograms per cubic meter in 2017, which is 6.5% less than a year ago.
China plans to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by 3% and ensure a continuous reduction in the level of PM 2.5 in key areas this year.
At present, the country is working on a three-year plan to fight for blue sky, with more ambitious goals to be set, the agency cited minister saying.