Among various factors affecting air quality, dust spreading over thousands of construction sites in town has contributed largely to the Shanghai's bad air quality and hasn't been completely brought under control through years of effort.

Under the supervision of local environmental protection authorities, many managers of construction sites have taken measures such as regularly sprinkling sites with water and covering scaffold with plastic gauze to reduce dust.

At the construction site for an apartment building in Luwan District, four cameras installed at different corners of the site are used to monitor the working situation. If any worker is found dumping dirt improperly, he will be punished.

Another construction site in Changning District, which sits only 10 meters away from a residential complex, produces "zero dust" as the building under construction is completely covered with gauze.

"We believe the extra expense on dust control is worthwhile as it helps to build up the image of our enterprise and it is our unshirkable social responsibility," said the project manager surnamed Zhong.

(eastday.com September 15, 2004)