China's Ministry of Environmental Protection on Thursday said air quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region had improved in the first eight months of this year from the same period in 2015.
According to the MEP, average density of PM2.5, airborne particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, dropped by 19.2 percent in the January-August period.
But it went on to warn the region might run into a spell of heavy smog early next month, just as China celebrates its National Day which falls on October 1.
From Oct. 1-4, central and southern parts of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as well as northern parts of Henan province could see heavy air pollution, with the major pollutant being PM2.5, the ministry said.
A cold front which is expected to sweep into the region on the night of Oct. 4 and will then disperse the smog and improve air quality to benign or lightly polluted levels,.
Straw burning during the autumn harvest season could add to air pollution in certain areas.
