New air quality measures unveiled 空氣質量評價體系升級

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The Ministry of Environmental Protection began gauging public opinion on revised air quality standards on Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

據新華社報道，國家環保部週三開始就新的《環境空氣質量標準》徵求公衆意見。

The new standards will, for the first time, include readings of concentrations less than PM2.5 (particulate matters smaller than 2.5 micrometers), a major cause of haze harmful to health, the ministry said in a statement.

新標準首次將有害健康的灰霾“元兇”——PM2.5（直徑小於2.5微米的顆粒物）納入常規空氣質量評價體系。

Along with the new standards, the country's existing Air Pollution Index will also be upgraded into the Air Quality Index. This will follow international practices to include ozone and carbon monoxide pollution levels as well as PM2.5.

新標準將目前我國採用的空氣污染指數升級爲空氣質量指數，並依照國際慣例，將臭氧、一氧化碳、PM2.5都納入評價體系。

Tighter rules will also be set for some pollutants already monitored, such as nitrogen oxides and PM10 (particulate matters smaller than 10 micrometers).

另外，新標準還收緊了PM10、氮氧化物等已檢測污染物標準的限值。

The average yearly ceiling for PM2.5 concentrations is set at 35 micrograms per cubic meter while the limit for any one day is set at 75, according to the ministry.

PM2.5年均和24小時平均濃度限值分別定爲0.035毫克/立方米和0.075毫克/立方米。The ministry plans to adopt the new standards nationally by 2016.

環保部表示，新標準擬於2016年全面實施。