China announced plans to take down six million vehicles that are deemed high-emission this year to eliminate pollution in the country.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection revealed the move on Tuesday saying that around 2.4 million old vehicles are to be taken off the roads in the municipalities of Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin.

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Four other municipalities were also part of the vehicle cutdown including provinces near Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta, reported the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The ministry also said that local authorities have already been provided with the copy of the action plan, which was issued by the General Office of the State Council under the government’s Cabinet.

On Tuesday, a spokesman from the ministry told local officials that implementing stimulus laws and regulations and enforcing stronger polices would finally get rid of old vehicles that do not pass emission testing.

Air pollution around the country has been identified to have come from pollutants discharged by old vehicles. These pollutants have also been identified to be the cause of lingering smog and choking air pollution in different parts of China. In Beijing, old vehicles contribute more than 30 percent of hazardous smog. 

China holds the record as the world’s top car manufacturer in the last five consecutive years. In 2013, the production and sales of cars in the country has even exceeded 20 million, which is also a first for the country. In the same year, the number of car ownership in China has also increased to 137 million, according to the country’s statistics.

Vehicles which have not passed national emission testing, referred to as “Huangbiaoche”, were recorded to contribute around 10 percent of the total number of cars and emitted around half of all pollutants coming from vehicles, shown through the country’s official statistics.

TagsMinistry of Environmental Protection