A man runs after lighting firecrackers to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year in Beijing early February 19, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Spring Festival smog

Although more than 130 cities banned fireworks and over 530 cities rolled out firework restrictions before Spring Festival, more than 100 Chinese cities still experienced heavy air pollution on the eve of Chinese Spring Festival.

The rural areas didn't see much blue sky either because the preparation of Spring Festival food like preserved meat and firewood chicken also caused a lot of air pollution.

Environmentalists say that governments should uphold the firework bans and restrictions and the public should voluntarily change their way of celebration by not setting off fireworks or reducing the amount of fireworks set off.