The composite index of ambient air quality in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong province, was 2.58 in 2020, putting it second in the province, according to the province's Department of Ecology and Environment.

The city had a rate of 96.7 percent in terms of days with excellent or good air quality in 2020, a decrease of 4.6 percent compared to that of the previous year.

The concentration levels of all of the six main air pollutants - sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10) and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) - reached the prescribed national standards.

Of these, the PM2.5 concentration was 21 micrograms per cubic meter, equaling the WHO's phase-2 standard of 25 mcg per cu m for the first time.

Zhanjiang boasted a 96.7 percent rate of days with excellent or good air quality in 2020. [Photo/WeChat account: gdzjfb]

Zhanjiang has been strengthening its governance of emissions from industrial sources, moving sources, dust sources, and incineration sources.

In 2020, the city completed the renovation of 169 enterprises that discharged volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), as well as the upgrading of six coal-fired boilers at or above 35 t/h to achieve ultra-low emissions.

It also conducted regular inspections of all 38 motor vehicle environmental protection inspection institutions in the city, and carried out inspections of heavy-duty fuel trucks.

Works like road cleaning and sprinkling water on the street have been carried out in the city to reduce dust sources of pollutants. The authorities have also strictly controlled all types of open air burning and have supervised the sale and lighting of firecrackers and fireworks.