The most polluted cities of the world's largest economies

Economist ^ | 01/19/2013

[SeekAndFind]

BEIJING is frequently shrouded in dense, yellowish smog so thick that the other side of the road is obscured. But the deadly smog that enveloped the city over the past weekend was so bad that air-quality readings from a monitor on the roof of the American Embassy said simply: "Beyond Index". The embassy uses the US Environmental Protection Agency's air-quality index (AQI), which measures the concentration of PM 2.5 (total mass of particulate matter of 2.5-micron diameter or smaller per cubic metre). Such particles are small enough to be inhaled and can damage lungs. The AQI range ends at 500; at one point a reading of 886 was recorded. A reading above 100 is deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and anything above 400 is rated “hazardous” for all. These independent readings have put pressure on the authorities to release more detailed data of their own. A year ago Beijing's municipal officials bowed to public pressure and started reporting data on PM 2.5 for the first time. But Beijing is not even the most polluted city in China.

Using a different but more widely used measure collated by the World Health Organisation of larger particulate matter called PM 10 (total mass of particles of 10-micron diameter or smaller per cubic metre), which allows cross-country comparisons, that dubious honour is bestowed on Lanzhou in the north-western province of Gansu (and the city of Ludhiana in India is more polluted still).

Better data may soon be available. This month China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection announced that 74 cities were to begin monitoring and reporting the levels of multiple pollutants, including PM 2.5, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone.

[SeekAndFind]

[familyop]

Well, thanks. I’m much happier with our collapsing economy now. ;-)

[Gay State Conservative]

I’ve visited Hong Kong and southern China a half dozen times..the first time being 30+ years ago and the most recent times being within the lat 3 years.The clearest day I saw in my most recent visits was worse than the worst day I’ve ever seen in LA.Far worse.If the industrialized nations of the world banned the internal combustion engine and electricity tomorrow China would make up for the drop in pollution within months with all the new coal fired power plants that they bring on line.Plants,BTW,that don’t have any of those new fangled smoke stack scrubbers that ours have.

[Nip]

And remember - China and India have been excluded from call the current environmental pushes because they are developing economies.

BTW - has anyone heard about the environmental disasters encountered by USAF personnel that flew out of ex-Soviet air bases starting in 2002? From beer conversations those bases were disasters and several had sections that were so badly polluted that our personnel were prohibited from walking over them.

WE take care of the planet and our enemies don't. But, the liberal-progressive-socalist cabal hammers us about our environmental record every chance they can. Interesting but not funny.

[VeniVidiVici]

Stationed in West Berlin just before the Wall fell, I always hated going over to East Berlin in the winter time because the coal they used for heat would clog your nose with huge, thick, black boogers. And that would be the result from being over there just a few hours!

After the Germanys were reunited I got tagged to drive a 53pax bus down to Munich to pick up some troops. For the first time, I was allowed to drive on a previously unapproved highway for the trip.

Heading south out of Berlin and towards Munich the trees lining the highway were gnarly looking. Like they had been soaking in acid for years.

The communists were (and still are) the biggest polluters on the planet. Interesting that the Left in our country and Europe tends to completely overlook that.

[piytar]

WE take care of the planet and our enemies don't. But, the liberal-progressive-socalist cabal hammers us about our environmental record every chance they can. Interesting but not funny.

That is because the ecohobbits come in two flavors: Useless idiots and power-hungry sociopathic wannabe dictators. The first don't have a clue about the real world. The second use the first in an effort to secure power.

Guess which ones get into politics? Hint: obastard...

[Blue Collar Christian]

Ahhh! It’s a good thing the greenies and the EPA banned industry from the US, otherwise we would have smog instead of recession.

I imagine Bakersfield made the list because the oil fields and farming in the area put lots of stuff in the air and there is no amount of prevailing wind to push it past the Sierras and Tehachapis.

[wardaddy]

Nah...probably something in the Streets of Bakersfield