Coal burning is no longer a major source of PM2.5 in Beijing, while car emissions¹ have become the top cause, according to a study released by Beijing's environment watchdog Monday.

 

北京环境监测机构周一的一份研究指出，烧煤不再是北京PM2.5的主要来源，汽车尾气成为主要原因。

 

The new findings come as Beijing is encouraging the use of natural gas instead of coal for winter heating and shutting down polluting smokestack factories. 

 

Emissions from vehicles, ships, and construction machinery² are the top sources of PM2.5 (particulate matter of diameter less than 2.5 micrometres), contributing up to 45 percent of the total pollutants³ in Beijing, according to the study by Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau.

 

Beijing has the highest level of car ownship in the country, with 5.64 million privately-owned cars at the end of 2017. The city has cut the number of license⁴ plates issued annually⁵ from 240,000 in 2013 to 100,000 in 2017.

 

The study also showed that Beijing's surrounding regions contributed to more than 50 percent of the pollutants on heavily polluted days when the air quality index (AQI) exceeded 200 in the city.

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