Beijing authorities have published a plan for handling the effects of air pollution, amid mounting concerns over the air quality in the city. Some emergency measures include advice on what precautions to take, while some are mandatory. The plan includes a color-coded alert system.
In the lowest blue warning, people are urged to reduce outdoor activities and choose public transportation when going out.
When the government issues a yellow alert, people are advised to stay indoors. And construction sites must take effective measures to reduce dust. In an orange alert, there are mandatory measures that include temporarily halting work at construction sites, and banning outdoor barbecues and fireworks all across the city.
The highest red alert would shut down kindergartens, and elementary and middle schools. Half of vehicles would no longer be allowed to hit the road.