According to news reports, Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, made a pledge last Wednesday to install air purifiers in all its schools and kindergartens.
The plans are to start the installation in the summer, with the majority of schools having installed air purifiers by the end of the year.
Henan is notorious for its terrible air quality, and local authorities suspended class six times in 2016.
Beijing has also urged districts to begin to install purification systems, but it’s not a mandatory requirement.
Pollution issues are coming to a head, with the Chinese public becoming more aware of the prevalence of pollution, and less secrecy around the problems the pollution brings. Though technically 2016 was a better year overall, challenges still remain.
For example, a Chinese-based app has been ordered by one unnamed Chinese province to set a cap for its AQI readings at the China’s official cutoff for AQI readings. In other parts of China, others still believe that pollution doesn’t happen in their city, but that it only occurs far away in Beijing.
Even more ludicrous is that one audacious administrator required students to take tests outside in the smog and one university refuses to allow students to use air filters without a doctor’s note, citing a fear of a fire hazard.
Photo: Jim Sciutto (Twitter)
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