Shanghai is getting greener as it reduced its major pollutants in air and water by 2 percent last year, according to a national report issued by the government.

This is the first drop in Shanghai's levels of sulfur dioxide and chemical oxygen demand, said the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The city's emissions of sulfur dioxide were 497,800 tons in 2007, 2 percent lower than in 2006, and COD discharge was 294,400 tons, dropping 2.5 percent from the previous year.

Sulfur dioxide is a major air pollutant and can cause illnesses. COD measures pollution in water.

Local environmental officials said Shanghai made great efforts to reduce pollution, especially since emissions rose in the first half of last year.

The Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau has upgraded or closed power plants, upgraded or built sewage-treatment plants and monitored factories and sewage plants.

Shanghai received top marks for its sewage treatment and monitoring system in the ministry's report.

Desulfurization equipment installed in electricity plants last year effectively decreased the emission of sulfur dioxide. And 10 new sewage plants were built last year, enabling it to treat 100,000 tons more sewage each day by building a 659-kilometer network of pipes.

(Shanghai Daily July 15, 2008)