Air Pollution in India Killed 1.24 Million People in 2017 –Report

IN PROGRESS…

• TIA [September 24, Confidential 10]
• RNR [December 3, Confidential 10]

---

Nominated Groups:

• All Groups

FEWW-R:

India’s toxic air killed 1.24m people in 2017

Background:

India’s air pollution killed 1.24 million people in 2017, or 12.5 percent of all recorded deaths for the year, according to a study published in the Lancet Planetary Health.

More than half (51.4%) of the victims who died from air pollution were younger than 70, the report said, “including 0·67 million (0·55–0·79) from ambient particulate matter pollution and 0·48 million (0·39–0·58) from household air pollution.”

Some 14 of the 15 cities with the worst air pollution in the world are in India, according to the WHO database of air pollution.

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Teams and affiliated scientists.]

• Presentation available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

---

FIRE-EARTH Top Ten Alerts

• All Groups

Latest FIRE-EARTH DIRECTIVES, ALERTS, FORECASTS, BULLETINS and MESSAGES available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

---

 

.

.

.

.

.

Sickening Acts of China

IN PROGRESS…

TIA [September 24, Confidential 10]
TNWG [October 22,Confidential 10]

Nominated Groups:

• Executive

FIRE-EARTH Report 103102

Sickening Acts of China: The End Game Can Only Be Catastrophe

[Prepared by affiliated political scientists.]

• China Report 103102 available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

All Groups

Latest FIRE-EARTH DIRECTIVES, ALERTS, FORECASTS, BULLETINS and MESSAGES available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

 

 

 

 

 

Air Pollution Makes Earth Dwellers Even Dumber –Study

Submitted by a reader

Let’s face it, you must be cognitively challenged to emit so much pollution in the first place!

Prolonged exposure to polluted air has a significant impact on our cognitive abilities, especially in older men, according to a new study.

Breathing dirty air causes a “steep reduction” in scores on verbal and math tests, says the report.

“Most of the population in developing countries live in places with unsafe air. Utilizing variations in transitory and cumulative air pollution exposures for the same individuals over time in China, we provide evidence that polluted air may impede cognitive ability as people become older, especially for less educated men, the report claims.

“Cutting annual mean concentration of particulate matter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) in China to the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard (50 μg/m³) would move people from the median to the 63rd percentile (verbal test scores) and the 58th percentile (math test scores), respectively. The damage on the aging brain by air pollution likely imposes substantial health and economic costs, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly for both running daily errands and making high-stake decisions.”

Air pollution linked to diabetes

Researchers found that air pollution contributed to 3.2 million new diabetes cases, or 14% of the global total in 2016. In the US, where 30 million adults have diabetes, air pollution results in over 150,000 new cases of diabetes each year.

The diagnosed cases of diabetes almost quadrupled between 1980 and 2014, jumping from 108 million to 422 million cases, WHO reported.

How many people breathe polluted air?

Nine out of every 10 people on the planet breathe air containing high levels of pollutants, with Africa and Asia being the worst affected areas, WHO reported earlier this year.

Air pollution was responsible for an estimated 9 million deaths in 2015, according to medical research.

“Ambient air pollution alone caused some 4.2 million deaths in 2016, while household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels and technologies caused an estimated 3.8 million deaths in the same period,” according to WHO.

“Many of the world’s megacities exceed WHO’s guideline levels for air quality by more than 5 times, representing a major risk to people’s health,” says WHO.

 

 

Planet China: Smog Affects 500 Million People

On the Margins of Sanity

About 250 million people across six provinces were affected by hazardous levels of smog, with another 280 million experiencing “heavy” pollution, according to various estimates.

“On Monday, the PM2.5 reading in many parts of northern China, mainly in Hebei and Henan, exceeded 500 micrograms per cubic meter. One reading in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei, exceeded 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter.”

Ghost Riders in the Sky? China chokes on smog: Caoxian County, east China’s Shandong Province. Severe smog pervading northern China worsened on Monday, smothering dozens of cities, stopping flights, closing roads… and disrupting life. (Image: Xinhua/Dong Xide)

Classifying Smog as a “Natural Disaster!”

Meanwhile, Beijing and Shanghai have attempted to
classify smog as a “natural disaster” so that the “authorities would not have to take full responsibility for it,” said a report.

.

FIRE-EARTH Alert: Air Pollution Emergency in Delhi, India

CJ Members

FIRE-EARTH Alert: India Declares Air Pollution Emergency in Capital, Delhi

• Hazardous air pollutants exceed about 20 times the “safe limit” in the Indian Capital, Delhi, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency and close the schools for t least three days.

• Days of heavy smog have caused such massive buildup of harmful particles that air quality instruments cannot measure the pollution levels.

Major contributors to pollution levels include:

• City traffic
• Burning of agricultural waste in surrounding states of Haryana and Punjab
• Badarpur coal-fired power station (SE Delhi)
• Construction and demolition work
• Smoldering fires at the Capital’s Bhalswa landfill
• Diesel generators

Residents have been advised to stay indoor as much as they can and work from home.

• Details of the Alert are available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Air Pollution Kills 5.5 Million People Each Year

Air pollution 4th greatest killer

More than 5.5 million people died prematurely due to air pollution in 2o13, the latest year for which data is available, according to data compiled as part of the Global Burden of Disease Project.

Air pollution is the fourth greatest cause of death globally after high blood pressure, nutrition conditions and smoking, says Global Burden of Disease Project.

Air pollution killed about 1.6 million people in China, and 1.3 million in India in 2013, said a report quoting the researchers.

The 10 leading causes of death in the world, 2000 and 2012 [WHO]

Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections and chronic obstructive lung disease have remained the top major killers during the past decade.

HIV deaths decreased slightly from 1.7 million (3.2%) deaths in 2000 to 1.5 million (2.7%) deaths in 2012. Diarrhoea is no longer among the 5 leading causes of death, but is still among the top 10, killing 1.5 million people in 2012.

Chronic diseases cause increasing numbers of deaths worldwide. Lung cancers (along with trachea and bronchus cancers) caused 1.6 million (2.9%) deaths in 2012, up from 1.2 million (2.2%) deaths in 2000. Similarly, diabetes caused 1.5 million (2.7%) deaths in 2012, up from 1.0 million (2.0%) deaths in 2000.

 

Major causes of death [2012]

In 2012, an estimated 56 million people died worldwide, according to WHO. [In July 2012, world population grew to 7.06 billion. —PRB]

• Cardiovascular diseases were the number 1 cause of death globally, killing  17.5 million people in 2012. Of these, 7.4 million people died of ischaemic heart disease and 6.7 million from stroke.

• Noncommunicable diseases were responsible for 68% of all deaths globally in 2012, up from 60% in 2000. The 4 main NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic lung diseases.

• Communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutrition conditions collectively caused 23% of global deaths, and injuries killed 9%.

• More than 6.6 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday.

Population Clock 2015 [PRB]

• World Population: 7,336,435,000
• Birth/yr: 145,973,000
• Death/yr: 57,052,000
• Natural increase/yr: 88,921,000 [Same as the combined pop. of Turkey and UAE]
• Infant deaths/yr: 5,351,000

Disasters/ Significant Events – Dec 25, 2015

Brazil warns against pregnancy amid surge in ZIKV birth defects

States of Emergency have been declared in six  Brazilian states after a surge in the number of suspected microcephaly among the newborn linked to Zika virus (ZIKV).

In Pernambuco State, about 1,000 cases have been reported. In Rio de Janeiro, about 400 pregnant women are suspected of having Zika infection. About 3 dozen related infant deaths are being investigated. 

Brazilian health authorities are advising would-be parents not to get pregnant, especially in the country’s northeast. The advice follows research that have linked the potentially deadly virus Zika, a mosquito-borne infection, to newborn microcephaly—a neurological disorder that can result in a severe birth defect in which the brain fails to develop properly and the head is much smaller than normal.

“Microcephaly can be caused by genetic factors, infections, or injuries. In recent years, there have been between 150 and 200 cases in Brazil per year. As of 30 November, more than 1,200 cases had been reported in 10 states, all of which have also reported Zika virus infections, says Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, head of the flavivirus laboratory at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”

However, the number of suspected infections have now doubled to more than 2,400  cases and spared to 20 Brazilian states (compared with 147 cases last year).

 

Storms kill at least a dozen, injure dozens more, leave trails of destruction across the U.S. South

Gov. Haslam approved the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s recommendation to go to a Level III State of Emergency, after storms moved across the state Wednesday night, killing at least two people.

Gov. Deal declared a state of emergency in Georgia for Fannin, Gilmer and Pickens counties through January.

“Following severe weather that resulted in flooding, damage to roads and properties and downed trees, the state is working to ensure the affected counties have access to the resources necessary for response efforts,” said Deal.

Gov. Bryant has declared a State of Emergency in seven Mississippi counties after storms pummeled the state late Wednesday..

Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Prentiss and Tippah counties have all reported damage,  at least six dead and more than 40 injuried.

• Macon County North Carolina issued a state of emergency after the storm caused severe flooding across the area.

• An unknown number of people were injured after the storm overturned planes at a local airport northwest of the state, said reports.

A large tornado, one of at least 3 dozens, landed in Mississippi and raked along a 240-km trail to Tennessee.

SPC received hundreds of severe weather reports including 39 tornadoes, as of posting. Tornadoes left trails of destruction across multiple states: Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Illinois.

 

Beijing air pollution worsens significantly

Air pollution index (AQI) in China hit a high of 592 on Friday and persisted at 562, as of posting.

[The EPA’s revised breakpoints for the upper end of the hazardous air pollution band, AQI of 401 – 500, is equivalent to PM2.5 concentration of 350.5 – 500 μgm−³ averaged over a 24-hour period.  —Editor]

There’s apparent confusion among officials concerning the severity and duration of the smog events, on the one hand, and the extent of willpower exercised by government to shoo away the potentially deadly pollution, on the other. The official news agency, Xinhua, wrote:

Even though Beijing has lifted the red alert for severe pollution, the capital city will remain in haze for a few more days. [How dare smog worsens “even though” the authorities have downgraded the pollution warning to the lowest level. Ed.]

The Beijing municipal heavy pollution emergency response headquarters issued a blue alert for heavy pollution in the city on Thursday afternoon, saying smog will hit central Beijing and southern suburbs on Thursday night. It called on residents in these areas to take protective measures.

“Red” represents the most severe warning level on China’s four-tier warning system,  followed by orange, yellow and blue.

In addition to Beijing, at least 50 other cities in northern and eastern China have issued air pollution alerts for potentially deadly smog this week.

 

 

Hazardous Smog Smothering Much of Northern China

‘Red alert’ for dangerous air pollution extends to more areas in N. China

China’s Hebei Province and the port city of Tianjin saw their first-ever air pollution red alerts Wednesday, said a report.

Red alert is the most severe in China’s four-tier warning system, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Hebei province, which is home to six of the ten most polluted Chinese cities in November, issued its first red alert for smog Tuesday noon.

The cities of Baoding, Handan, Langfang and Xingtai had already issued red alerts before the provincial-wide alert came into effect, said the report.

On Monday night, Tianjin also issued its first red alert for air pollution, which will last from 0:00 a.m. Wednesday to 6:00 a.m.Thursday, according to a government statement.

During the red alert, only half of the cars will be allowed on the roads; “enterprises and public institutions will adopt flexible working hours and large outdoor activities and construction work will be suspended.”

Particle pollution contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream. Source: EPA

Additionally, schools will also cancel classes. “Key polluting industries will cut production as continuous cleaning operations are conducted in the city’s downtown areas.”

Beijing was hit with severe air pollution on Tuesday, with pollution levels expecting to reach grade six on a six-grade pollution gauging system in the southern part of the city later in the day, according to Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center (BMEMC).

“Affected by increased humidity and temperature inversion, the density of PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers used to measure air quality) may exceed 500 micrograms per cubic meter on Tuesday,” the report quoted an environmental expert from BMEMC.

PM2.5 reached a two-day high of  506 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing as of 4:00 p.m Tuesday, according to http://aqicn.org/city/beijing/.

Heavy smog has hit the country’s Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on three occasions since late November. Low wind speed, high humidity and unfavorable wind conditions are the main causes of the smog…

Other parts of north China also experienced some of the worst smog so far this year starting Saturday.

• Orange, yellow and blue alerts have been issued in cities in the provinces of Henan, Shandong and Liaoning.

• The PM2.5 level was 248 micrograms per cubic meter in Shenyang as of 7:00 p.m Tuesday.

Poor visibility caused by heavy fog and smog, affected the trains on high-speed rail linking Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning, and the coastal city of Dalian. The trains were forced to reduce speed to 200 km/hr down from the normal 300km/hr, the report quoted the Shenyang railway bureau as saying

• Some 15 highways in Liaoning Province were either completely or partially closed, according to the local transportation department.

• In addition, 15 highways in Liaoning Province were either completely or partially closed, according to the local transportation department.

 

Smog Selfie

Beijing’s 1st ever red alert for smog  to last through Thursday noon

At 23:00 local time on Tuesday, the PM2.5 AQI in Beijing was 346 [“Hazardous”] down from a recent high of 400.

[The EPA’s revised breakpoints for the upper end of the hazardous air pollution band, AQI of 401 – 500, is equivalent to PM2.5 concentration of 350.5 – 500 μgm−³ averaged over a 24-hour period.  —Editor]

Original caption: A tourist takes photo of the Forbidden City amid heavy fog at the Jingshan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 8, 2015. The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. on Tuesday to noon on Thursday. Under a red alert, the city’s emergency management headquarters has advised kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes, banned outdoor operations on construction sites and required some industrial plants to limit or stop production. Car use will be limited during the red alert period as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Original caption: This combination photo shows the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven, taken on June 14, 2015 (L) and Dec. 8, 2015 (R), in Beijing, capital of China. Beijing has issued its first red alert for air pollution under a four-tier emergency response system created in October 2013. The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. on Tuesday to noon on Thursday. Under a red alert, the city’s emergency management headquarters has advised kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes, banned outdoor operations on construction sites and required some industrial plants to limit or stop production. Car use will be limited during the red alert period as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua). More images…

Related Links

• Hazardous Air: Beijing Finally Issues a ‘Red Alert’ December 7, 2015

Smog Plagues N China

China issues yet another smog alert

China’s weather observatory issued a smog alert on Tuesday for the country’s north and northeast, said a report.

“Beijing, Tianjin, parts of the neighboring provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shandong, as well as parts of northeastern Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces will be shrouded in moderate smog from Tuesday to Wednesday, and Liaoning Province will suffer from heavy smog, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast.”

Fort McMurray: The Most Polluted Place in N. America

AQI reached a high of 456 in Fort McMurray , Alberta, Canada

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Fort McMurray [pop: ~ 80,000] reached a hazardous high of 456 Monday night local time, the highest in North America, and was hovering in the “Very Unhealthy” territory, as of posting.

“Fort Muck,” as the city is also referred to, has been described as a “place of sex, drugs, violence, homelessness, massive trucks, polluted air and contaminated water.”

PM2.5 Pollution Level

AQi Values of 300 or greater are considered “Hazardous,” the highest health threat level on the EPA scale. This would trigger health warnings of emergency conditions because it puts the entire population at risk.

“Fueling Epidemics of Syphilis and HIV”

“The sex trade in Fort McMurray has kept pace with the booming oil industry, and goes hand in hand with the increase in hard drug use,” said a report, citing a Coordinator for the Council of Canadians.

“The drug of choice changed overnight, from pot to coke,” said the coordinator.

I’ve had boys barely out of high school come into my office freaked out over their sexual identities after getting drunk and having gay sex for the first time, and often unprotected. It’s just plain sad to see.

Does everyone do it [engage in high risk sexual behavior and drug use]? No, but the fact is we have a Syphilis outbreak in this province, and these workers go back to where they are from and it spreads. There are health centers at the work sights, but people don’t go to them for fear that it’ll get back to their employers. It’s an unacceptable situation, but the municipality has bigger things to think about and so the problem is not dealt with effectively.

Related Links

• A Tale of Two Cities: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Fort McMurray

[The link is provided for information only. FIRE-EARTH is not associated with Oil Sands Truth.]

Environmental Emergency Declared in Santiago amid Hazardous Smog

Suffocating smog forces Chilean govt. to declare state of emergency in Santiago

Chilean officials have declared an environmental emergency in response to PM2.5-rich smog in the capital, Santiago.

The emergency measures requires about 3,000 factories and other polluting businesses to stay closed on Monday. Additionally, 40 percent of the capital’s 1.8 million cars will stay off the roads, said Santiago regional governor Orrego Larrain.

“We’re currently facing unusual conditions, with one of the driest Junes in over 40 years as well as really bad air circulation conditions over the Santiago valley in recent days, which boosts the concentration of contamination,” said  the Environment Ministry.

The restrictions would remain in place for 24 hours, while dangerously high pollution levels persists, but can be extended if no improvement in the conditions results.

Meanwhile, the health officials have urged Santiago residents to avoid outdoor exercise, while the emergency measures last.

Santiago [metro population: ~ 7.5 million] is located in Chile’s central valley, at an elevation of 520 m (1,706 ft) above the sea level.

China Plagued by Serious Air and Groundwater Pollution

Most of China’s underground water unfit for human contact

An official report on China’s state of environment during 2014, released by the country’s Ministry of Environmental Protection,  reveals “serious air and groundwater pollution,” said a report.

More than 90 percent of Chinese cities monitored for air quality failed to meet the standard for PM2.5 pollution.

Acid rain was detected in nearly a third of 470 cities monitored last year.

About 62% of nearly 5,000 stations monitored for water quality contained “poor” or “extremely poor” water. And only 10.8 percent of the monitored sites passed the pollution tests.

About one-third of surface water and nearly two-thirds of groundwater were found to be unfit for human contact.

“There was almost no shallow groundwater of Grade I quality [in 2013] and only sporadic existence of groundwater at Grade II-III quality, putting the amount of groundwater at unfit for human touch at 77.8%. Deep groundwater fared only slightly better at 73.55%,” said a report. [The figures are not comparable, possibly due to reporting errors or omissions.]

• Groundwater in the ‘very bad’ category in 2014 increased to 16.1% from 15.7% in 2013.
• Groundwater in “bad” & “very bad” categories increased from 59.6% in 2013 to 61.5% in 2014.

Who Needs BioChemical Weapons?

Large clouds of yellow sand, smog from China plaguing Korean Peninsula, Japan

Westerly winds are blowing high levels of yellow sand and smog from China across Korean Peninsula and Japan, posing a potential hazard across the region.

Korean Peninsula has received massive levels of yellow sand and smog since Sunday, while much of Japan is experiencing varying degrees of air pollution imports from China.

The smog prompted Korea Meteorological Administration to issue yellow dust warnings and advisories for much of the country, including Seoul, Incheon, Gwangju and several other surrounding cities on Sunday.

The massive clouds of yellow dust, which originate in the deserts of Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan, are often laden with potentially deadly cocktails of bacteria and industrial pollutants.

Air Pollution in Asia: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map. Source: http://aqicn.org/map/ – Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 16:00UTC.

Hwangsa, also known as ‘yellow sand,’ ‘Asian dust,’ or ‘yellow wind,’ originates in the deserts of Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan, usually engulfing cities in Korean Peninsula and Japan during early spring. Image source: U.S. Govt.

Air Travel: Environmental Nightmare Worsened in 2014

3 Billion air journeys polluted skies and earth in 2014

More than 3 billion air journeys were taken globally in 2014, although the exact figures are yet to be released.

In 2013, the total number of passengers carried by airlines grew to 3,023,304,482 globally, according to data provided by the World Bank.

U.S. airlines lead the global pack, carrying 743,096,000 passengers (25% of the total), followed by the Chinese with 352,795,296, or 12 percent of the total.

30 Million international passengers carried by Chinese airlines in 2014

Chinese airlines carried more than 30 million international passengers (estimated 200,000 flights) in 2014, up 18 percent year on year, said a senior civil aviation official, Xinhua reported.

Chinese passengers accounted for more than 55 percent of all passengers on the flights between China and the United States, said the report.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) anticipates China’s domestic passenger capacity to rise 10.8 percent in 2015, while the growth rates of China-U.S., China-Europe and China-Asia Pacific flights will be 10 percent, 9 percent and 4 percent respectively, said the report.

Chinese airlines are planning to launch international routes from smaller cities, with foreign low-cost airlines being permitted to join the Chinese civil aviation market, according to the report.

In 1992, Chinese airlines carried a total of 29 million passengers, according to official statistics.

The number rapidly grew to about 120 million in 2004, and more than 320 million in 2012.

Top 25 Flyers in 2013 (and probably 2014) were:

1. United States: 743,096,000
2. China: 352,795,296
3. UK: 118,304,674
4. Japan 105,913,000
5. Germany 105,016,346
6. Brazil: 95,917,212
7. Ireland: 95,585,497
8. Indonesia: 85,102,827
9. India: 75,322,747
10. Turkey: 74,353,297
11. Canada: 71,526,726
12. Australia: 70,883,315
13. UAE: 69,191,127
14. France: 66,733,562
15. Russian Federation: 65,985,276
16. Malaysia: 46,317,632
17. Spain: 45,773,340
18. South Korea: 41,082,568
19. Thailand: 40,714,384
20. Mexico: 38,807,595
21. Hong Kong SAR, China: 34,206,136
22. Netherlands: 33,249,909
23. Singapore: 30,554,914
24. Philippines: 29,308,659
25. Saudi Arabia: 28,252,104

Air Travel Nightmare Worsened in 2014

UPDATED

https://feww.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/air-travel-environmental-nightmare-worsened-in-2014/

‘Breathtaken’ Beijing Besotted by Beastly Smog (AGAIN)

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
APOCALYPTIC SMOG
SCENARIOS 797, 699, 444, 404, 402, 222
.

China issues a “yellow alert” as  deadly air pollution lingers in Beijing

Air pollution has again soared to hazardous levels in Beijing since Saturday, reaching nearly 30 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Levels of deadly PM2.5 particulates in Beijing climbed to 546 micrograms per cubic meter on Thursday.

A government official in Sichuan Province has blamed the persistent smog on smoking bacon, the traditional method of preserving pork meat and sausages in the region, said the official Xinhua news agency.

However, independent experts put the blame for the city smog squarely on car emissions, construction and industrial production.

A formula for calculating the AQI from the concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, SO2, NO2 …)  is posted HERE.

Smog related links

• Red Tides Attack Shenzhen; Beijing Issues Air Pollution Alert November 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Shrouds Beijing, North China (AGAIN) October 9, 2014
• Besotted by Beijing
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

Red Tides Attack Shenzhen; Beijing Issues Air Pollution Alert

MAJOR DISASTERS
INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION
RED TIDES
WATER POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION
SCENARIOS 817, 797, 699, 404, 402, 05, 02
.

Image of the Day:

Red tides splash on China’s ‘most successful’ SEZ

Shenzhen [Population: ~ 20 million] is a major city in southern China’s Guangdong Province. Located north of Hong Kong, the city is part of China’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Original caption: Aerial photo taken on Nov. 25, 2014 shows the red tides, a bloom of bacteria that gives a red tint to coastal waters, on the waters of Dameisha in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Li Suren). More images…

Beijing issues air pollution alert

Beijing municipal authorities issued an air pollution alert  Tuesday afternoon, as forecasters warned of serious smog on Tuesday and Wednesday, reported the official Xinhua.

“Air quality index (AQI) in Beijing hit 236 at 6 p.m. with the index of PM 2.5 exceeding 200, according to the Beijing environmental protection monitoring center website.”

The PM2.5 AQI had exceeded the hazardous levels, reaching 361, as of posting.

Industrial air pollution cost Europe up to €189 billion in 2012

Meantime, the European Environment Agency (EEA) reported that air pollution from Europe’s largest industrial facilities cost the region as much as €189 billion in 2012.

The upper estimate of €189 billion [$235b] is approximately equivalent to the GDP of Finland or 50% of the GDP of Poland. The estimated cost was at least €329 and possibly up to €1,053 billion over the period 2008 – 2012, said the report.

 

Hazardous Smog Shrouds Beijing, North China (AGAIN)

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
PROLONGED SMOG
SCENARIOS 797, 699, 444, 404, 402, 222
.

BEIJING AQI tops 460 and rising

Beijing authorities issued a yellow alert for air pollution on Wednesday amid rising air pollution levels, with smog forecast to continue through weekend, official Xinhua reported.

Northern China’s Hebei province (population: 75 million) and Tianjin (a northern metropolis and one of the five national central cities in China; population: ~ 16 million) and have also issued yellow alerts, the second highest on the national air pollution scale.

Air quality index (AQI) in downtown Beijing reached 462 (extremely hazardous) on Thursday at 19:00UTC, and was rising, according to http://aqicn.org

Related Links

• Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang March 27, 2014
• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

Heatwaves, Sandstorms Plague China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
HEATWAVES
MAJOR SANDSTORMS
SCENARIOS 777, 067
.

Record Temperatures Broil North China

Weather authorities in Hebei Province and cities of Beijing and Tianjin have issued a “Yellow Alert for High Temperatures,” the third highest alert level in the country, as  record-shattering heat in parts of northern China soared to about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees).

People have been advised to limit their outdoor activities to avoid heatstroke, while the National Center for Disease Control has warned the rising temperatures could help the spread of infections, said a report.

“The national weather forecaster predicts that the region’s heatwave will continue for another three days.”

The latest rounds of heatwave have been plaguing different parts of China (and India) since late April.

At least 11 provinces, cities and regions have reported temperatures exceeding 35°C  this week, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, said the report.

Other affected areas include southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and southern Sichuan Province.

Recurring Sandstorms

Meanwhile, recurring dust and sandstorms have hit multiple parts of China since early April.

The worst affected areas  include Beijing, northwest China’s Shaanxi, neighboring SHANXI, and Qinghai provinces, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The National Center for Performing Arts, one of Beijing’s landmarks, is shrouded in sand and dust, May 27, 2014. (Xinhua/Wang Huaigui)

The strongest sandstorm in decades  hit parts of Gansu province last month, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters .

THIS IS IT FOLKS!

Besotted by Beijing

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
.

Another major air poisoning episode underway in Beijing

China Cognitive Dissonance: Pollution is deadly; pollution is necessary to promote a “better” lifestyle!

Beijing AQI. Near real-time Air Quality Index. Source: aqicn.org

Related Links

• Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang March 27, 2014
• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Name One Other Species …

TOXIC AIR POLLUTION
CRIMES AGAINST NATURE
.

No other species makes their habitat unlivable!

Extremely high levels of air pollution are spreading across parts of England.

The pollution is a cocktail of emissions from the UK and Europe, rich in toxic pollutants, including high concentration of the atmospheric particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone, mixed with dust from the Sahara—the proverbial icing.

The elderly, those with respiratory problems, asthma, lung or heart disease, have been warned against venturing outside, said a report.

The latest episode follows the legal proceedings launched against the UK by the European Commission in February for failing to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air after 15 consecutive years of warning, said the report.

The head of Asthma UK organization has warned that about 70 percent of asthma sufferers who find air pollution makes their condition worse “will be at an increased risk of an attack.” Even healthy people could experience symptoms including sore throat, eye irritation, nasal discomfort, burning lungs and dry cough.

UK capital London cloaked in smog. Image source: Clean Air in London.

Air pollution the world’s worst environmental hazard: WHO

“[About] 1 in 8 of total global deaths [occurs] as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Based on its environmental models, FIRE-EARTH science team believes the figure released by WHO is grossly underestimated.

Outdoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 40% – ischaemic heart disease;
• 40% – stroke;
• 11% – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
• 6% – lung cancer; and
• 3% – acute lower respiratory infections in children.

Indoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 34% – stroke;
• 26% – ischaemic heart disease;
• 22% – COPD;
• 12% – acute lower respiratory infections in children; and
• 6% – lung cancer.

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Air Pollution Kills May 2, 2009
• Pollution Kills, OK? Posted on May 11, 2010

Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

Heavy smog and fog shroud huge swathes of China

Heavy smog and fog shrouded huge swathes of China prompting the authorities to issue a red alert in Shenyang the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, March 27, 2014. Photo: Xinhua/Jiang Bing

Beijing AQI

Meantime, Beijing AQI reached a high of 477 on Thursday and was hovering above 350 level, as of posting.

AQI levels of 300 or greater are categorized as “hazardous” and require mandatory health warnings because everyone may experience very serious health effects.

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

Killing Life in Beijing

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

‘The great virtue of Heaven and Earth is creating life’  —I Ching

China issued a “yellow alert” yesterday amid 5th consecutive day of deadly air pollution in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Provinc . Beijing AQI reached a peak of of 417 at 11:00 am local time on Wednesday.

“Foggy weather will appear in north China and areas along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, while some parts of Beijing and Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Liaoning will see heavy air pollution until Wednesday morning, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said on Tuesday,” Xinhua reported.

“Yellow” is the 2nd lowest [despite the life-threatening smog] of a four-tier alert system—red, orange, yellow, blue—indicating the severity of air pollution.

The reoccurring heavy smog episodes have been described as “Apocalyptic” by Beijing residents.

AQI for Beijing and surrounding areas. Source: aqicn.org

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

Air pollution the world’s worst environmental hazard: WHO

Based on its environmental models, FIRE-EARTH team believes the estimate by World Health Organization (WHO) is grossly underestimated.

“[About] 1 in 8 of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk,” said WHO.

The latest data reveal a more robust link between air pollution and cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, “in addition to air pollution’s role in the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,” as well as between air pollution and cancer, said WHO.

Unsustainable Policies

“Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry,” said a WHO public health expert.

“In most cases, healthier strategies will also be more economical in the long term due to healthcare cost savings as well as climate gains.”

Outdoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 40% – ischaemic heart disease;
• 40% – stroke;
• 11% – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
• 6% – lung cancer; and
• 3% – acute lower respiratory infections in children.

Indoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 34% – stroke;
• 26% – ischaemic heart disease;
• 22% – COPD;
• 12% – acute lower respiratory infections in children; and
• 6% – lung cancer.

Related Links

• Air Pollution Kills May 2, 2009
• Pollution Kills, OK? Posted on May 11, 2010