Beijing Heavy Air Pollution Contingency Plan (Trial) was officially released on October 22. Kindergartens, primary and middle schools will then have to stop classes, and motor vehicles will be taken off the road by the odd-and-even license plate rule, when the red alert is issued.
The Contingency Plan sets out four alert levels: blue, yellow, orange and red. It stipulates that when there is severe pollution for one day, the blue alert will be issued; heavy pollution for one day or heavy pollution for three consecutive days, yellow; alternating severe and heavy pollution for three consecutive days, orange; heavy pollution for three consecutive days, red.
Beijing will take the suggested measures and coercive measures to mitigate air pollution. When an orange alert is issued, companies will be forced to halt or limit the production to 30 percents of the emissions, and fireworks, firecrackers and open-air barbecue will be prohibited in the municipality under the original provisions. When a red alert is issued, the cars running on streets will be restricted by the odd-and-even license plate rule, and 30 percents of government-owned cars must be taken off the roads.
The Contingency Plan has been incorporated into the unified management of the municipal emergency response system. Municipal emergency committee and the headquarters command to release and lift the early warning, while 15 departments and district and county governments direct and organize the emergency response.
In general, the Contingency Plan covers monitoring and forecasting, early warning, and safeguarding, and touches air quality monitoring and forecasting, early warning levels, emergency measures, early warning release and lift, organizational safeguard, inspection and assessment, social supervision. (Source: China Environment News, October 23)