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.

 

Breathtaking Beijing

Earth dwellers fast running out of excuses!

Beijing’s PM2.5 particulate density exceed 900 micrograms per cubic meter over the weekend, nearly 40 times the World Health Organization’s “safe” daily limit, prompting the municipal government to issue a warning for air pollution.

• “Real-time monitoring data shows the air quality index was as high as 500 in most parts of the city, with some above 900. The smog is expected to last another three days, as weather conditions are preventing the pollutants from dispersing. The public are advised to stay indoors and to avoid strenuous exercise.” CNTV said.
  

• Beijing hospitals have reported increases of about 30% in the number of patients with respiratory problems in the past few days.

• Beijing has a minimum population of more than 20 million and at least 5.2 million vehicles.

Heavy smog shrouds Beijing for a 3rd day. Photo shows Central Business District in Beijing on January 13 as dense fog in  China’s east and central regions caused serious air pollution. The smog is expected to last until at least Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Changlong)

At least half of 74 Chinese cities monitored for air quality showed severe pollution over the weekend.

Related Links

• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China Posted January 12, 2013

Air Pollution Kills

WARNING! Air Pollution Kills

If the next surgeon general won’t tell you that AIR POLLUTION KILLS, he ain’t worth nominating

As if some of us needed reminding:

Six in ten U.S. residents—about 186 million people—live in areas with dangerous levels of air pollution, the American Lung Association reported.

The following are excerpts from the American Lung Association’s recently published State of the Air 2009 report. 

• Six out of ten people (61.7%) in the United States population lives in counties that have unhealthful levels of either ozone or particle pollution. Almost 186.1 million Americans live in the 525 counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollution in the form of either ozone or short-term or year-round levels of particles.

• Roughly six out of ten people in the United States—58 percent—live in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone. This reflects the much lower threshold for unhealthy ozone as well as warmer temperatures in much of the eastern U.S.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Notes:
(1) Cities are ranked using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan statistical area.
(2) Total Population represents the at-risk populations for all counties within the respective Combined Statistical Area or Metropolitan Statistical Area.
(3) Those 18 & under and 65 & over are vulnerable to PM2.5 and are, therefore, included. They should not be used as population denominators for disease estimates.
(4) Pediatric asthma estimates are for those under 18 years of age and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma in 2007 based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(5) Adult asthma estimates are for those 18 years and older and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma during 2007 based on state rates (BRFSS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(6) Chronic bronchitis estimates are for adults 18 and over who had been diagnosed in 2007, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(7) Emphysema estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(8) CV disease estimates are based on National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) estimates of cardiovascular disease applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(9) Diabetes estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(10) Adding across rows does not produce valid estimates, e.g., summing pediatric and adult asthma and/or emphysema and chronic bronchitis. [Image and Notes from American Lung Association’s  State of the Air 2009 report. Copyright American Lung Association.]

Notes:
(1) Cities are ranked using the highest design value for any county within that metropolitan statistical area.
(2) Total Population represents the at-risk populations for all counties within the respective Combined Statistical Area or Metropolitan Statistical Area.
(3) Those 18 & under and 65 & over are vulnerable to PM2.5 and are, therefore, included. They should not be used as population denominators for disease estimates.
(4) Pediatric asthma estimates are for those under 18 years of age and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma in 2007 based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(5) Adult asthma estimates are for those 18 years and older and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma during 2007 based on state rates (BRFSS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(6) Chronic bronchitis estimates are for adults 18 and over who had been diagnosed in 2007, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(7) Emphysema estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(8) CV disease estimates are based on National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) estimates of cardiovascular disease applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(9) Diabetes estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(10) Adding across rows does not produce valid estimates, e.g., summing pediatric and adult asthma and/or emphysema and chronic bronchitis. [Image and Notes from American Lung Association’s  State of the Air 2009 report. Copyright American Lung Association.]

Notes:
(1) Cities are ranked using the highest weighted average for any county within that metropolitan statistical area. (2) Total Population represents the at-risk populations for all counties within the respective Combined Statistical Area or Metropolitan Statistical Area.
(3) Those 18 & under and 65 & over are vulnerable to PM2.5 and are, therefore, included. They should not be used as population denominators for disease estimates.
(4) Pediatric asthma estimates are for those under 18 years of age and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma in 2007 based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(5) Adult asthma estimates are for those 18 years and older and represent the estimated number of people who had asthma during 2007 based on state rates (BRFSS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(6) Chronic bronchitis estimates are for adults 18 and over who had been diagnosed in 2007, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(7) Emphysema estimates are for adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed within their lifetime, based on national rates (NHIS) applied to county population estimates (U.S. Census).
(8) Adding across rows does not produce valid estimates, e.g., summing pediatric and adult asthma and/or emphysema and chronic bronchitis. [Image and Notes from American Lung Association’s  State of the Air 2009 report. Copyright American Lung Association.]