Hunan's air quality significantly improved during this year's Spring Festival, with overall good urban air quality since New Year's Eve, the Hunan Department of Ecology and Environment told reporters on February 19.

Monitoring results show that in previous years, from New Year's Eve to the first day of the Chinese New Year, moderate or worse pollution days based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) accounted for an average of 54.8% across cities in the province, with the highest daily average AQI reaching 409 at a level of severe pollution.

This Spring Festival, during the peak period of fireworks and firecrackers from the night of New Year's Eve to the early morning of the first day of the Chinese New year, cities in Hunan maintained stable and good air quality. In the provincial capital Changsha, the PM2.5 concentration on New Year's Eve was 15 micrograms per cubic meter, down 85.4% from the previous year. As of 10 p.m. on February 19, air quality was excellent in six of the province's 13 cities and one autonomous prefecture, and good in the other eight.

The Department noted that the general public's commitment to the concept of a green, safe, and civilized festival has made a positive contribution to safeguarding the province's ambient air quality. It also reminded that the weather during the Spring Festival period may be subject to minor variations, and citizens were advised to follow the latest air quality information, wisely arrange their travel and outdoor activities, and thus enjoy a safe and joyful Spring Festival.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.  

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn