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September 30, 2013

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Beijing chokes on heavy smog

By Ma Yue | September 30, 2013, Monday | Print Edition

AIR pollution was heavy in Beijing yesterday with residents warned to avoid outdoor activities or wear masks.

In the morning the air quality index reached 305, the second highest level on a six-tier scale. The Beijing meteorological observatory issued a yellow haze alert in the morning.

The density of airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter, or PM2.5, exceeded 200 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the Beijing Environmental Monitoring Center.

The sky over the capital city turned grey and visibility was poor. Nearby Tianjin and Hebei Province also had heavy air pollution.

It was the third consecutive day of heavy smog in the capital.

The poor air quality was expected to continue until at least Wednesday.

According to the environmental monitoring center, 21 of the city’s 35 air quality monitoring spots had AQI readings surpassing 500, or heavy pollution, the highest on the six-tier scale, Beijing Times reported.

Weather forecasters said pollutants had accumulated in the air due to warmer temperatures and a lack of wind for several days.

Vehicle emissions are considered one of the biggest sources of air pollution in Beijing, contributing more than one fifth of PM2.5 particles.

There were more than 5.37 million vehicles in the city as of the end of August.

Beijing suffered from serious air pollution in January, when the capital was choked by 16 days of heavy smog — the most since 1954. The city’s air quality had reached dangerous levels at the time due to a severe sandstorm.

 

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