The city of Handan in China’s Hebei Province has decided to initiate a level II emergency response as of six o’clock on the evening of March 13, aiming to alleviate pollution. The timing of the end of the emergency response will be announced later.
According to the Ecological Environment Emergency and Heavy Pollution Weather Warning Center of Hebei Province, from March 14 weather with high pollution levels may occur due to the persistently weak southerly winds, high humidity, and worse conditions for the diffusion of pollutants.
Industrial enterprises are expected to regulate production plans in a reasonable manner, under the premise of ensuring safe production, in accordance with the adjusted "Handan City 2023-2024 Heavy Pollution Weather Emergency Emission Reduction Industrial Source List" Level II Alert.
According to the rules for a level II emergency, only steel mills which have minimal emission levels and are in group A may produce normally (eight steel mills in Handan city were in group A in 2023), while others will have to cut emissions and production by a range from 30 percent to 50 percent.