Sulfur dioxide emissions decrease in China

BEIJING, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- China has experienced a decrease in sulfur dioxide emissions for the first time in several years, China’s Xinhua News Agency reported.

Ma Kai, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the decrease -- which has been tracked for the past six months -- was due to the introduction of sulfur removal devices into coal-fueled power plants, and to efforts to shut down plants with high energy consumption.

Kai said the per unit GDP energy consumption fell 2.78 percent in the first six months from the same period last year, Xinhua reported.

However, Kai said the growth of industries with high energy consumption is far too rapid.