SHANGHAI, Mar 26 (SMM) – After it was forecast that Tangshan's air pollution is likely to reach the orange level, the city activated its emergency level Ⅱ response to heavy air pollution at 20:00 on March 25 until further notice, SMM learned.

An orange-level alert is the second-highest in China’s four-level air pollution warning system. An orange-level alert indicates that smog has decreased visibility to less than 2,000 metres and heavy industries will be required to cut output to 50%.

Plants and construction sites that were on the Tangshan Heavy Air Pollution Contingency Plan level Ⅱ will be allowed to resume normal operation when removal of the emergency response is approved. Those that were required to stagger production during the non-heating season will have to operate in accordance to regulations. 

Companies and sites that were not on the list are allowed to maintain regular operations.