The China National Environmental Monitoring Center released air quality data including intensity of fine particulate matter less than 2.5-micron diameter (PM2.5) on New Year's Day.

On January 1, 2013, 496 sites in 74 major Chinese cities began monitoring PM2.5 data. Information on particulate matter in China used to be limited to particulate matter 10 microns or less in diameter.

Live air quality data are provided at the center's website, www.cnemc.cn. A mobile phone application is also available.

China's urban air quality monitoring will proceed in stages, with all prefecture-level cities slated to begin PM2.5 monitoring by 2016.