Beijing issues 2016’s first red alert for air pollution after forecasting six days of ‘severe smog’
Municipal government’s warning, effective from Friday night, triggers limits on the use of cars and temporary shutdown or reduced production at factories
Beijing municipal government has issued this year’s first red alert for air pollution on Thursday – effective from Friday evening – after severe smog was forecast to blanket large areas of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, Henan and Shandong provinces in northern China until next Wednesday night.
From 8pm on Friday, the owners of private cars will be allowed to drive on Beijing’s road only on alternate days – depending on whether the number plate of their vehicles has an odd or even number – which will mean only half the usual number of cars will be in use.
Environmental authorities warned the latest period of severe smog lasting six days would be the worst experienced this year and affect more than 20 cities.
The red alert is the highest warning level out of the country’s four-tier system, which triggers the limits on the use of cars and the temporary shutdown or reduced production at factories.
The alert comes as Beijing residents enjoyed clear blue skies on Thursday.
