Shanxi province in North China will introduce six air quality control measures to improve its atmosphere, according to a provincial government briefing on air pollution treatment in the winter and fall held on Oct 21.

The province will continue to optimize its industrial structure and layout, implement in-depth treatment of heavily polluting industries and replace bulk coal with clean heating supplies. 

It will expand its green transportation system by accelerating the upgrade of motor vehicles, promoting new energy vehicles and increasing oil quality testing. 

Further, it will improve dust control at open-pit mines and increase the management and control of straw burning. The province will also strengthen its prevention and control of air pollution in the capital, Taiyuan, as well as in surrounding areas and effectively respond to heavy pollution weather. 

Shanxi had already completed clean heating renovations in 714,700 households by the end of September and was expected to finish clean heating renovation of 1.37 million households in 2020. 

At that stage, the province will have completed clean heating renovations to nearly 5 million households -- reducing coal burning by 20 million metric tons annually and sulfur dioxide emissions by some 300,000 tons. 

As of Oct 19, Shanxi's average PM2.5 concentration was 42 micrograms per cubic meter, a year-on-year decrease of 8.7 percent. 

Officials added that the level of good weather and air in Shanxi had reached 70.9 percent, up 9.6 percentage points year-on-year.