China's summer ozone pollution tackling action has achieved initial results, the number of days exceeding the standard has been significantly reduced

　　China News Agency, Beijing, August 28 (Reporter Liu Yuying and Ruan Yulin) Liu Youbin, spokesperson for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, said at a press conference in Beijing on the 28th that the 2020 summer ozone (O3) pollution attack has achieved initial results. 7 O3 concentrations in key areas such as Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shaanxi decreased significantly during the month, and the number of days when O3 exceeded the standard decreased significantly.

　　In 2019, the average concentration of O3 in 337 cities at prefecture-level and above was 148 micrograms per cubic meter, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%. O3 is second only to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and an important factor affecting the ratio of good days.

　　According to reports, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important precursors for the formation of ozone. Starting in mid-July, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has carried out summer ozone pollution prevention and control supervision and assistance in 79 cities with heavy ozone pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and surrounding areas, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta. Three rounds have been completed. A total of 624 working groups were dispatched to inspect 67,000 enterprises, and help localities discover 65,000 environmental problems involving 19,000 enterprises with volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

　　At the same time, various localities are actively researching and deploying special O3 pollution prevention and control actions, and have successively introduced special action plans for O3 pollution prevention and VOCs remediation, implementing various VOCs emission reduction measures in terms of source substitution, unorganized emission control, end treatment, and comprehensive renovation of parks and clusters. .

　　Liu Youbin said that in the next step, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will further promote the challenge of O3 pollution in summer, urge and guide all localities to implement various tasks and measures in the summer O3 pollution attack, steadily increase the ratio of good days, and ensure the successful completion of the "13th Five-Year Plan" target tasks. (Finish)