China's major steel companies produced less pollution during the first quarter of 2023, according to data from the China Iron and Steel Association.

The total amount of wastewater discharged by major steel companies fell by 16.39 percent year on year, and sulfur dioxide emissions dropped 15.75 percent during the period, the association said.

Energy efficiency in these steel companies also improved. Electricity consumption per tonne of steel fell 3.05 percent year on year, while water consumption per tonne of steel declined 6 percent year on year.

Major steel companies also saw better profitability in the first quarter, with profits rising from 2.55 billion yuan (about 368.3 million U.S. dollars) in January to 10.33 billion yuan in March, data also showed.