Smog Problem Spiked in Many Cities in December, Ministry Says

(Beijing) – The air pollution in many of China's cities was worse in December than it was in the same month of 2014, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on January 25, underscoring the country's persisting problems with smog.

Major indicators of air pollution, such as nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 – tiny specs of particulate matter in the air that can damage lungs – were all higher in 74 cities in the last month of the year than they were in December 2014, the ministry said in a statement on its website.