Most-polluted Baoding vows to improve air quality within 3 years  

(ECNS) -- Policymakers in Hebei's Baoding are trying to improve the city's air quality within three years by curtailing the worst emitting companies and restricting traffic, the Beijing Times reported on Wednesday.

Baoding always tops the list of the "Top 10 Most Polluted Cities in China" issued monthly by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The creation of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has provided an opportunity for Baoding to accommodate some of the administrative departments and industries from the capital. However, Baoding's environmental capacity is limited, according to Wang Jinfu, vice director of the city's municipal environmental department, on Tuesday.

Enlarging Baoding's environmental capacity and enabling it to handle more businesses is key to the future development of the city, the vice director said.

Wang said that to reduce the impact of vehicle emissions, local officials are mulling traffic restriction rules similar to those in Beijing and Tianjin.

Baoding is also looking to allow access to National 5 standard oil, equal to the Euro V vehicle emissions standard, which caps sulphur content at 10 parts per million, said Wang.

A campaign to phase out existing high-energy consumption and high-pollution plants is also unfolding in the city.

With these environment-friendly polices being delivered, Baoding is committed to improving the city's air quality within three years, and enabling its residents to enjoy a clean environment before 2019, Wang said.