A zone free of coal to be created around Beijing by 2017
Almaty. September 30. Silkroadnews – A no-coal zone to significantly improve air quality will be established around Beijing, «Xinhua» agency reported.
«Starting from November 2017, factories as well as households in 18 districts and towns in Hebei province would not be allowed to burn coal», the publication says.
According to the «Program of practical measures to strengthen the fight against air pollution in Hebei Province in 2016-2017», a ban on the use of coal will be introduced on an area of 7148 square kilometers. Here, the use of coal would be possible only in the electricity, district heating, as well as enterprises, for which coal is the raw material.
At the same time local residents are invited to heat their houses not with coal but using electric heaters and gas pumps.
By the end of 2017 all 18 administrative districts are expected to start using centralized heat supply or environmentally friendly heating system. Replacing coal with gas, electricity and geothermal energy will be promoted in other areas of the province.
The program also provides for the decommissioning of coal-fired boilers with steam capacity up to 10 t/h, and in cities up to 35 t/h. All boilers to continue operation must bring their emissions in line with current regulations norms.
