Overview of the iron and steel plant in Hangzhou, Dec 26, 2015. [Photo/IC]

A 59-year-old iron and steel plant operated by Hangzhou Iron & Steel Group Co was shut down this month in order to improve the city's air quality.

The plant had been running in Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang province, in East China, since 1957.

According to the city's environment authorities, the annual coal consumption of the base is 1.2 million tons. The closure will cut emissions of sulfur dioxide by 7,000 tons, nitric oxide by 3, 400 tons and soot by 3,000 tons every year in the city.