Wuxi, in Jiangsu province, set goals to eliminate all yellow-labeled high pollution vehicles by the end of 2015, to cut the local PM2.5 concentration by seven percent over 2013 figures.

An official in charge of air treatment said that one high-pollution yellow-labeled vehicle is worse than 30 new vehicles. Experts say that if high-pollution vehicles were brought under control, air quality would improve and the car plate quota system could be removed.

The city eliminated more than 56,000 yellow-labeled and old vehicles last year, but there remained nearly 70,000 registered high-pollution vehicles. The local air office said that the Yangtze River Delta Area will carry out networking management this year and any yellow-labeled vehicle will be fined once entering the area’s restricted zone.

Tough measures will also be carried out to control the use of coal, adjust industrial structure and upgrade major industries. The city will raise energy conservation and environmental protection standards and force out excessive capacity in high-pollution and energy-guzzling industries this year. It will reduce the excess production capacity and shut down obsolete enterprises that fail to meet relevant pollution control standards. At the same time, the city will close down four thermal plants and 1,275 coal-based small boilers to cut coal consumption.

Officials from the city’s air office said that Wuxi has established an air quality standards management mechanism and started to analyze changes in air quality. Relevant personnel will be held accountable once PM2.5 concentration goes beyond limits or air pollution severely affects public life. The city will also carry out regular project environmental evaluation and control projects to eliminate haze threats.