Beijing sets air-quality record in October

BEIJING, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- In October, the monthly reading for PM2.5 fell to an average of 25 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing, the lowest measurement in autumn and winter (October to March) since data was first collected in the capital, authorities said on Monday.

The average concentration of PM2.5 in the city was 32 micrograms per cubic meter in the first 10 months of this year, according to the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.

Autumn and winter are periods with large pollutant emissions and unfavorable meteorological conditions. In October, Beijing has taken a slew of measures to tackle air pollution including the special treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the implementation of new standards and policies for mobile sources, it said.

PM2.5 -- airborne particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter -- poses serious health risks.