Northern China shut manufacturing plants to combat air pollutions

Several provinces in Northern China have ordered companies in the manufacturing sectors to lower operating rates or even shut down in the coming week as air pollution in the area worsens. 

In an official statement from the provincial governments including Shandong, Hebei, and Henan, the authorities said that air pollutions in the region have reached unhealthy levels and it is necessary for the heavy industrial sector to adjust the operating rates to combat the situation.

It targets to reduce the overall pollutant concentrations by at least 30%, while the concentration for SO₂ and NO₂ must go down no less than 60%. 

Many of the affected manufacturing plants are plastic bag manufacturers, especially around the Rizhao prefecture, Southern Shandong that has been ordered to shut down until further notice. 

The development is expected to hamper the demand for HDPE film further now that HDPE bag manufacturers have been slowing down purchases ahead of the blanket ban on single-use non-degradable plastic bags in all urbanized areas in the country.