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Shaoxing in Zhejiang province recorded a significant improvement in air quality in January, with the concentration of PM2.5 dropping to 48.9 micrograms per cubic meter, down 14.8 micrograms from a year earlier. The absolute improvement ranked first in the province.

The improvement was particularly noticeable during the Spring Festival holiday. From Jan 28 to Feb 4, the average PM2.5 concentration stood at 42.38 micrograms per cubic meter, marking a 22.4 percent decrease year-on-year. On Jan 28-29, the figure dropped by 41.67 percent, with all districts and counties seeing an improvement of over 40 percent. No heavy pollution was recorded during the period.

Stricter control of fireworks and firecrackers contributed to the improvement. The city expanded its restriction zones, raised public awareness, and strengthened law enforcement, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of fireworks displays in the city.

In addition, Shaoxing authorities stepped up air quality monitoring during the holiday, deploying AI-based alerts, drone patrols, and on-site inspections. Moving forward, the city will continue to strengthen pollution control efforts to sustain the progress.