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

IN PROGRESS…

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

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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.

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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.

 

 

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.

 

HAZARDOUS SMOG: BEIJING ISSUES 2ND EVER RED ALERT

Heavy smog to choke Beijing again – Sat. through Tue.

“The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. Saturday to 12 p.m. Tuesday, limiting vehicles on roads according to odd-even license plate numbers and banning fireworks and outdoor barbecue, the Beijing municipal heavy pollution emergency response headquarters said on Friday,” said a report.

The smog event will be worse than the previous spell between Dec. 6 and 9, when the pollution index exceeded 500, reported the National Meteorological Center on Thursday.

The smog is expected to blanket a sizable portion of the country, encompassing more than a dozen major cities and surrounding areas.

Beijing authorities have advised residents to avoid outdoor activity and for schools to stop classes.

The red alert—the highest of a four-level alert system, operating since 2 years ago—also triggers restrictions on industrial operation, construction work and vehicle use.

Beijing residents have been advised to avoid outdoor activity and kindergartens, primary and middle schools are expected to suspend classes during the alert, said the report.

Hazardous Air: Beijing Finally Issues a ‘Red Alert’

Smog must be serious!

Beijing has issued its first ever “red alert”  as smog levels continue to build up.

The red alert means schools must close and outdoor construction have to stop, probably for the next three days.

The red alert, the highest available, which has not been used in the Chinese capital before, means authorities expect at least three consecutive days of hazardous smog.

The PM2.5 AQI in the city were 249 at 24:00 local time, down from a recent maximum of 428, and much lower than last week’s levels that easily exceeded 600.

The red alert indicates that hazardous pollution levels are forecast over the next three or more days.

Additionally, China’s weather observatory has issued an orange alert for smog in northern China, which is expected to linger through Tuesday evening, reported the state-run Xinhua news agency.

“Beijing, Tianjin, parts of the neighboring provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shandong, as well as Shanxi, Shaanxi and parts of Jiangsu and Anhui provinces in east China will face moderate smog, with south Beijing to experience heavy smog, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.”

Environmental activists said the AQI reached a record 1,400 in the city of Shenyang the last week of November, the highest in the country, according to reports.

Related Links

• Beijing Issues ‘Crazy Smog’ Alert Posted on November 30, 2015
• ‘Breathtaken’ Beijing Besotted by Beastly Smog (AGAIN) Posted on January 15, 2015

Beijing Issues ‘Crazy Smog’ Alert

Self-imposed “house arrest” for N. China; potentially deadly consequences if they break the “curfew”

Heavy smog covers a massive area measuring 530,000 km² around Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as hazardous air pollution chokes 31 cities, said CCTVNews.

A thick blanket of smog, containing potentially deadly pollution, covered 31 cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi and Henan on Sunday and Monday, prompting authorities to issue a ‘crazy smog’ alert.

Resident in Beijing and other affected cities have been advised to stay indoors.

Smog will persist in most parts of north China through Wednesday, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Image source: http://aqicn.org/

Meanwhile,  the air quality in the Indian capital, New Delhi, also plunged into “hazardous” territory as thick smog choked the city, reducing visibility to about 100 meters.

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.

‘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

China Air Pollution Affects Global Weather

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
TOXIC ATMOSPHERE
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
INTENSE STORMS
GLOBAL IMPACT
.

Asian air pollution intensifies Pacific storms: Study

Air pollution in China and other Asian countries is affecting weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere, as well as other parts of the globe, especially during winter, according to a study.

The particulate matter in the air are carried towards the north Pacific where they interact with water droplets in the air, causing the formation of denser clouds that result in more intense storms above the ocean, say researchers.

“Since the Pacific storm track is an important component in the global general circulation, the impacts of Asian pollution on the storm track tend to affect the weather patterns of other parts of the world during the wintertime, especially a downstream region [of the storm track] like North America,” said Dr Yuan Wang, the lead author.

“The impacts of Asian pollution on the storm track tend to affect the weather patterns of other parts of the world […] the effects are quite dramatic. The pollution results in thicker and taller clouds and heavier precipitation,” said Wang.

The impact of pollution on the weather pattern intensifies in the winter.

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Convection depth in MMF and CAM for PD and PI over the northwest Pacific. Wang et al. PNAS

Abstract

Assessing the effects of anthropogenic aerosols on Pacific storm track using a multiscale global climate model

Atmospheric aerosols affect weather and global general circulation by modifying cloud and precipitation processes, but the magnitude of cloud adjustment by aerosols remains poorly quantified and represents the largest uncertainty in estimated forcing of climate change. Here we assess the effects of anthropogenic aerosols on the Pacific storm track, using a multiscale global aerosol–climate model (GCM). Simulations of two aerosol scenarios corresponding to the present day and preindustrial conditions reveal long-range transport of anthropogenic aerosols across the north Pacific and large resulting changes in the aerosol optical depth, cloud droplet number concentration, and cloud and ice water paths. Shortwave and longwave cloud radiative forcing at the top of atmosphere are changed by −2.5 and +1.3 W m−2, respectively, by emission changes from preindustrial to present day, and an increased cloud top height indicates invigorated midlatitude cyclones. The overall increased precipitation and poleward heat transport reflect intensification of the Pacific storm track by anthropogenic aerosols. Hence, this work provides, for the first time to the authors’ knowledge, a global perspective of the effects of Asian pollution outflows from GCMs. Furthermore, our results suggest that the multiscale modeling framework is essential in producing the aerosol invigoration effect of deep convective clouds on a global scale.

What about the US and EU Shares of Air Pollution, Dr Wang?

Interestingly, the report doesn’t say much about the air pollution created by the U.S. and EU.

Related Links

• Besotted by Beijing April 14, 2014
• 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

• 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.

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.

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.

Chinese Cities Unfit for Living

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
TOXIC AIR POLLUTION
.

Nearly all Chinese cities monitored for pollution in 2013 failed to meet environmental standards: Senior official

About 96 Chinese cities monitored for pollution in 2013 failed to meet environmental standards, said Wu Xiaoqing, China’s vice-minister of environmental protection.

Of the 74 cities monitored by Beijing, 71 had various degrees of problems, said Wu at a news conference on Saturday, Reuters reported.

The only three cities that met the standard were the flood-prone city of Haikou in the island province of Hainan, Llasa, the capital of quake-prone Tibet, and the coastal resort city of Zhoushan.

China’s pollution problems can only be solved through fundamental changes to the way the country develops its economy, said Wu.

“When we were chasing GDP growth, we were also paying the price of pollution, and this price is heavy, is massive.”

“China will cut outdated steel production capacity by a total of 27 million tonnes this year, slash cement production by 42 million tonnes and also shut down 50,000 small coal-fired furnaces across the country, according to the government work report delivered by Premier Li on Wednesday,” said Xinhua.

Beijing AQI

Meanwhile, the Beijing AQI for PM2.5 hit 255 (Very Unhealthy) on Saturday, before falling slightly to 249, as of posting. [Temp: 4°C; range  -3°C to 12°C]

Related Links

• 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
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China

FIRE-EARTH Models show smog affecting at least 500millon people in China, or 37% of the population.

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
“APOCALYPTIC SMOG”
.

NO “Red Alert” for Beijing despite 6th consecutive days of hazardous smog

Satellite remote monitoring showed 980,000km², or 10 percent of the country,  blanketed by smog Sunday including Beijing and the provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, and Shanxi.

Beijing entered its six consecutive day of hazardous smog (AQI above 300), described by as “Apocalyptic smog” by the residents, on Tuesday. However, the authorities have failed to issue a “Red Alert” for the capital, breaking their own rules.

“A red alert indicates the most serious air pollution (AQI above 300) for three consecutive days. An orange alert indicates heavy to serious air pollution (AQI between 200 and 300) alternately for three consecutive days. A yellow alert indicates severe pollution for one day or heavy pollution for three consecutive days,” said a report.

Beijing was placed on “Yellow Alert” on Thursday, but the alert was upgraded to “Orange” for the first time on Friday, where it has stayed since.

The poisonous smog is forecast to linger until at least Thursday, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Smog shrouds the Imperial Palace in Beijing, China, Feb. 24, 2014. Many parts of China have been enveloped by poisonous smog since last week. The potentially deadly pollution will linger in Beijing until at least Thursday,  forecasters said.  (Photo: Xinhua/Li Wen)

Beijing AQI

PM2.5 AQI for Beijing was 413 , indicating a PM2.5 concentration of between 350.5 and 500.4  micrograms per cubic meter (µgm–³), as of posting. (PM10 AQI: 240+; Temp: 2°C ; Range: 0°C to 12°C; Pressure: 1028hpa).

Pollution levels below 15.4µgm–³ (AQI of up to 50) are considered as “safe.”

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

Related Links

• 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
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
‘APOCALYPTIC SMOG’
.

Life-threatening smog choking N China won’t disperse anytime soon

 The potentially deadly smog is forecast to continue for at least three more days in Beijng, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, and Shaanxi provinces in north China, said the National Meteorological Center.

Beijing was finally placed on “orange alert”  for the first time on Friday. Municipal authorities have ordered manufacturing plants in the city to suspend or reduce production, and barbecues are disallowed, Xinhua reported.

Photo: xinhuanet.com

Beijing AQI

PM2.5 AQI for Beijing was 411 , indicating a PM2.5 concentration of between 350.5 and 500.4  micrograms per cubic meter (µgm–³), as of posting. (Temp: 7°C ; range -1 ° to 10°. Pressure: 1025hpa).

Pollution levels below 15.4µgm–³ (AQI of up to 50) are considered as “safe.”

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

Related Links

• 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
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Beijing 398

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
APOCALYPTIC SMOG
.

KILL the SMOG or EVACUATE Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Liaoning, Shanxi, Shaanxi… before you run out of options!!

“Apocalyptic smog” smothered large parts of central, northern, northeastern and eastern China for the third consecutive day, reportedly prompting the Ministry of Environmental Protection to send 12 inspection teams to Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and surrounding areas to check the response to the pollution (!)

Beijing AQI.  Source: waqi. info

Related Links

• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing  February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

“Breathtaken” Beijing Brown

THE TWILIGHT ZONE
.

Beijing air pollution zooms off the chart AGAIN!

Do NOT Adjust Your Sets! This time there’s no glitch or system error; it’s pure, unadulterated smog!

Beijing Air Pollution Chart: Near Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI). Source: http://aqicn.org/city/beijing/

The PM2.5 pollution in Beijing rocketed off the chart again earlier today, hitting the 614 mark, as dense smog enveloped the entire city.

A health alert is issued at a level above 300 because the pollution becomes hazardous to health, and everyone may experience serious health effects.

Last year Beijing reported 58 days of mega pollution, an average of more than one day each week, according to an official, Xinhua reported.

This year, sky is no limit!

Air Pollution Chart based on EPA recommendations.

The twilight zone is the line between the day side and night side of a planetary body, also referred to as the terminator.

Original caption: Buildings are blanketed in heavy smog in Beijing, capital of China, 16, 2014. The municipal government issued a yellow smog alert Thursday morning, as smog blanketed the city with air quality readings reaching the most polluted level. (Xinhua/Li Xin). More images…

Related Links

• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013

• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts, search blog content.

“Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China

Closed or Cancelled: Dozens of Highways, hundreds of flights and long-distance buses, thousands of schools…

Severe smog, which began engulfing northern, central and eastern regions of China on Wednesday, is forecast to persist through the weekend.

Shanghai’s PM2.5 pollution soared to 590 micrograms per cubic meter, about than 30 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization. Xuhui District recorded pollution levels of about 602.4 micrograms per cubic meter, said Xinhua.

Shanghai (population: 25 million) is the most populated city in China and the largest city proper by population in the world.

Shanghai’s skyline Thursday morning.  Severe smog has reduced visibility to dangerously low levels disrupting rail, air, water and road transportation. (source: People’s Daily Online/Wang Chu). More images…

Nanjing (population: 8.2 million), the capital of Jiangsu Province, issued a “red alert” on Wednesday after color of the sky turned mustard yellow. The PM10 pollution level was 413 (from a peak of 467) with PM2.5 at 397 (peak of 462), as of posting.

Social media users in China described the environment in deserted cities with the sky turning pale yellow as “apocalyptic,” reported Reuters.

Meantime, visibility reduced to less than 50 meters in many places, forcing highways to shut in east China’s Jiangxi Province on Thursday morning. Xinhua said its reporter had seen thousands of drivers stranded on the Changdong Highway in Nanchang (population: 5.3 million), the capital of Jiangxi Province.

“Twenty-five provincial-level regions have been suffering smoggy weather, including the cities of Hangzhou and Nanjing, according to the National Meteorological Center,” reported Xinhua.

[China has 34 provincial level divisions, classified as 22 provinces, 4 municipalities, 5 autonomous regions, 2 Special Administrative Regions, and the claimed Taiwan Province.]

In October, smog forced the shutdown of Harbin, one of northeastern China’s largest cities, as Visibility dropped to under 10 meters.

PM2.5 concentration of about 15 – 25 micrograms per cubic meter pose little or no risk, according to the World Health Organization.

Smog News Headlines

• Dust masks sell out as smog shrouds Chinese cities
• Shanghai to suffer smog into the weekend
• Flights delayed as air pollution hits record in Shanghai

Related Links

• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East ChinaDecember 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013

• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency  October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures Posted on October 6, 2013
• Hazardous Smog Chokes Northern China Posted on February 28, 2013
• Beijing Buried in Smog – Again! Posted on February 17, 2013
• Dense Smog Continues Choking Much of China Posted on February 1, 2013

“Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China

Choking smog engulfs much of east and north China, forcing school closures in at least two cities

Nanjing (population: 8.2 million), the capital of Jiangsu Province, issued a “red alert” after color of the sky turned mustard yellow. The PM10 pollution level was 467 (from a peak of 502) with PM2.5 at 433 (peak of 498), as of posting.

“The National Meteorological Center on Thursday renewed a yellow alert for fog and smog as dense air continued to choke eastern and northern provinces, including Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi. The yellow alert is the third highest in China’s four-level alert system,” said a report.

Social media users in China described the environment in deserted cities with the sky turning pale yellow as “apocalyptic,” reported Reuters.

Meantime, visibility reduced to less than 50 meters in many places, forcing highways to shut in east China’s Jiangxi Province on Thursday morning. Xinhua said its reporter had seen thousands of drivers stranded on the Changdong Highway in Nanchang (population: 5.3 million), the capital of Jiangxi Province.

In October, smog forced the shutdown of Harbin, one of northeastern China’s largest cities, as Visibility dropped to under 10 meters.

PM2.5 concentration of about 15 – 25 micrograms per cubic meter pose little or no risk, according to the World Health Organization.

Related Links

• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013

• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency  October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures Posted on October 6, 2013
• Hazardous Smog Chokes Northern China Posted on February 28, 2013
• Beijing Buried in Smog – Again! Posted on February 17, 2013
• Dense Smog Continues Choking Much of China Posted on February 1, 2013

 

Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart

Severe smog fills the air in China’s financial hub Shanghai

Shanghai’s air pollution index for PM2.5 rose above the hazardous level, hitting a maximum of 350, on Monday as smog shrouded the sky, according to various monitoring stations.

PM2.5 concentration of about 25 micrograms per cubic meter pose little or no risk, according to the World Health Organization, however, the reading for the particulate in Shanghai climbed to 14 times the “acceptable” volume on Monday.

“Shanghai saw deteriorating air quality over the weekend. The AQI index rose above 230 on Sunday, when the city held its annual Shanghai International Marathon,” said a report.

The marathon took place  despite the heavy pollution, said the report, with some participants wearing masks.

In Beijing the pollution index for PM2.5 rose to 269 Monday morning.

Related Links

• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency  October 21, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013