China's Xuzhou to cut steel, coke output in winter - state media

BEIJING (Reuters) - A city in China's No. 2 steelmaking province Jiangsu plans to cut output of steel, coke and other raw materials in winter, as part of its efforts to improve air quality, state-owned media reported on Friday.

Xuzhou aims to keep emissions of hazardous floating particles known as PM2.5 to below 64.5 micrograms per cubic metres between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, the China Environment News reported, citing a Xuzhou government document. The city wants to keep PM2.5 below 76.3 micrograms from Jan. 1 until March 31, 2019, it said.

Coal-fired power utilities, steel mills, coke plants and cement producers will be ordered to comply with the ultra-low emission standards, while steel firms will need to halve their total emissions during the winter heating season.

The city said it will cut more than 800,000 tonnes of steel capacity by 2018, the report said.

The city also aims to reduce 5.5 million tonnes in coal consumption in 2018 compared to the 2016 level, and continue to promote gas- and electricity-powered heating system, the report said.

Xuzhou was one of 20 cities in China with the worst air quality in January-September, according to the environment ministry.

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Manolo Serapio Jr.)