Harbin city in China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province witnessed significant improvements in its air quality during the first five months of 2020, according to information released by the Harbin ecology and environment bureau.
 
As of May 31, Harbin has reported 108 days with air quality that was rated either excellent or good -- 20 more days with excellent air quality than the same period in 2018.
 
Officials said that the government’s efforts on eliminating and upgrading coal-fired boilers and its renovation and relocation of shanty towns helped drive the improvement in air quality.
 
Also bringing positive change was its promotion of clean energy in suburbs and rural areas still using coal and firewood, as well as its straw burning management, dust control at construction sites and comprehensive treatment of high-emission vehicles.
 
Harbin is currently conducting in-depth renovation of its coal-fired boilers and industrial kilns. All the coal-fired boilers with a heating supply capacity of less than 35 tons per hour will be removed by the end of this year.
 
Meanwhile, the government is accelerating a cleanup in the urban area. Officials said that  24,600 households living in the city’s shanty towns will either be relocated or see a major improvement in housing conditions and an upgrade in the environment.
 
Additionally, Harbin is strengthening the control of dust at its 431 construction sites.
 
Officials said that all construction sites are being required to install surround enclosures and have stacking and covering of their materials, as well as put in place road hardening, cleaning of access vehicles and have closed transportation of slag vehicles.