Nanyang wins highest award for environmental improvement in May

Nanyang was awarded 3.8 million yuan ($595,145) by the Department of Environmental Protection of Henan Province for its excellent air and water quality in May. This marks the second month in a row that the city has received the highest honor in the province.

As of May, cities with great improvements in their environment were awarded 231.4 million yuan, and substandard cities were fined 204.1 million yuan. Xinyang, Nanyang, and Zhumadian were the top three awarded cities while Anyang, Jiaozuo, and Zhengzhou were the top three to be fined.

Nanyang recorded 25 days with excellent or fine air quality in its urban region in May, an increase of 14 days. The average concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were 39 micrograms per cubic meter and 86 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively, ranking second in the province. The 10 water sections that were monitored all met the quality standard.

The significant improvement in the city's natural environment cannot be set apart from the measures Nanyang has taken this year to investigate and treat major pollution problems, such as dust pollution.