Beijing admits 'arduous' task to clean air for Olympics

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Beijing will try to cut emissions and curb pollution for the Summer Olympics but it will be an uphill task to clean the city's air, the mayor was quoted as saying on Sunday. Guo Jinlong vowed to provide services in "high-level and high-caliber ways" for the Aug. 8-24 Games, the official Xinhua News Agency cited him as saying. "The task to control pollution and traffic congestion is still arduous," he said, adding that Beijing will cooperate with neighboring cities to improve environmental conditions. No details were given on the rest of Guo's report or if he made any proposals. So far, Beijing has begun shutting down blast furnaces in the city's biggest steel company to improve air quality. It is also expected to enact temporary traffic restrictions during the games to ease traffic and reduce vehicle exhaust.