The Shanxi province, a key coal mining region in China, decided to cut annual coke capacity and output to reduce toxic emissions from heavy industry in the long term, Reuters reported Oct. 9, citing a government statement.

The government gave producers a deadline of Oct. 1, 2019, to meet tougher environmental standards and may order closures for those that fail to meet the requirements.

Shanxi is also encouraging coke plants to move to industrial parks and combine with steel mills to improve efficiency and said those that comply with government plans will be given capital support.

The decision came after all 11 cities in Shanxi, which was responsible for one-fifth of China's total coke output in 2017, were identified by the central government as a "key battlefield" of the country's anti-pollution campaign, according to the report.