SHIJIAZHUANG -- A total of 248 heavily polluting companies in North China's Hebei province have been relocated from main urban areas since 2013 in the province's fight against smog.

According to the provincial environmental protection bureau, all of the heavily polluting enterprises were asked to move to industrial park areas and economic development zones outside of downtown areas.

In 2017 alone, 46 heavily polluting companies were relocated.

The province also plans to remove all iron and steel companies in Baoding, Zhangjiakou and Langfang cities.