As a part of China´s countrywide strategy to crackdown on heavy industries and to improve air pollution levels, authorities have gone ahead with the demolition of 17 more facilities in Shijiazhuang, Hebei. The country saw the first batch of cement plant demolitions in December 2013. Shijiazhuang is set to reduce its cement production capacity by 15 million t by 2017 to bring down the pollution levels. These demolitions targeting 35 plants, will reduce production capacity by 40 per cent.
The demolition of 17 plants, inclu-¡ding the dismantling of 18 cement powder-making systems and 377 storage bins, will be completed by the end of March and will reduce production capacity by 9.1 million t. The two batches of demolitions have resulted in economic losses of -Ñ1.1 billion (US$180 million) and has directly affected 3780 workers. Sun Ruibin, Party Chief of Shijiazhuang, commented that the country could experience a slowdown in economic growth but that the improvement in air pollution levels would make this worthwhile.