Beijing reported better air quality during the week-long Chinese New Year holiday, which the city's environmental authorities attributed to fewer people setting off fireworks and better weather conditions.

The average concentration of PM2.5, airborne particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter that pose serious health risks, was 38 micrograms per cubic meter from Feb. 4 to 10, falling 51.3 percent from last year's Chinese New Year holiday, according to the Beijing Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau.

This is the second year since Beijing imposed the ban on fireworks. Local residents were prohibited from setting off fireworks inside the Fifth Ring Road and also in some parts of the suburban areas during the holiday. The city saw six days with air quality meeting the national standard, and only experienced one slightly polluted day during the week.

According to the Beijing Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau, due to the tougher restriction, the air quality saw an obvious improvement on Chinese New Year's Eve, with average concentration of PM2.5 falling by 45.7 percent from the previous year. And the peak concentration was 177 micrograms per cubic meter, a drop of 34.9 percent from the last year.

The noise pollution, as a result of the firework ban, also dropped to new low levels.

The noise levels during two major days during the Chinese New Year celebrations, one on Chinese New Year's Eve and one on the fifth day of the first month in the lunar year, fell by 2.7 and 3.3 decibels to 57.9 and 50.6 decibels, respectively.

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