BEIJING - The emission of four major pollutants reduced by a year-on-year 2 percent in 2012, said China's Minister of Environment Zhou Shengxian Thursday.

Zhou made the statement at a national meeting held here.

Major pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen.

Zhou promised to press for including PM2.5, air-borne particles 2.5 microns or less in diameter, in the country's major pollutant monitoring and measuring system.

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