China approves PM2.5 pollution draft

Monitoring PM2.5 pollution will be included newly amended draft of the national air quality standards, according to a statement of the Ministry of Environmental Protection released on its official website Saturday. The new revision was approved in principal at the ministry's executive meeting presided by the minister Zhou Shengxian on Dec 30, 2011. The decision was made at the meeting to urge the relevant departments to further revise and improve the new standards as soon as possible. PM 2.5 refers to the fine airborne particles below 2.5 micrometers that are considered extremely hazardous to people's health as they go deeper into the lungs than the larger particles that exist in the air. China currently uses PM10, or particular matter under 10 micrometers, to measure air quality.