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发帖数: 7759 | 1 【 以下文字转载自 Military 讨论区 】
发信人: bostonons (爱如潮水), 信区: Military
标 题: US Embassy: Beijing air quality is 'crazy bad'
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Fri Nov 19 11:24:51 2010, 美东)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101119/ap_on_re_as/as_china_pollution
Pollution in Beijing was so bad Friday the U.S. Embassy, which has been
independently monitoring air quality, ran out of conventional adjectives to
describe it, at one point saying it was "crazy bad."
The embassy later deleted the phrase, saying it was an "incorrect"
description and it would revise the language to use when the air quality
index goes above 500, its highest point and a level considered hazardous for
all people by U.S. standards.
The hazardous haze has forced schools to stop outdoor exercises, and health
experts asked residents, especially those with respiratory problems, the
elderly and children, to stay indoors.
"We've canceled 10 days worth of games since August," said David Niven,
chief operating officer of China ClubFootball, which runs extensive youth
and adult football leagues in Beijing. "If the air is above 240, some of the
schools will ask us to move football games indoors or cancel them
altogether. Because of the bad air this year, we've had to cancel more games
than ever before."
Health experts say breathing polluted air can affect respiratory functions
and worsen problems for those with asthma or allergies.
China's official air quality rating was 312 on Friday. Environmental groups
and city residents have complained the government's measurement system
consistently underreports the severity of the problem.
Beijing's official air monitors only measure relatively coarse particulate
matter, whereas the U.S. system monitors smaller, deadlier dust particles.
Experts say Beijing's frequently bad air has been even dirtier recently
because a growing number of factories and villages on the outskirts of the
city are burning coal for the winter, and more than 1,200 new cars hit the
roads each day.
The capital underwent a massive cleanup in 2008 for the Olympic Games, such
as planting thousands of acres (hectares) of trees in and around the city,
but has since allowed some factories to reopen and lifted some traffic
restrictions, bringing pollution levels back up.
"If the city's planning was better, people from the outskirts wouldn't have
to commute for hours each day," said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of
Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing. "Beijing needs to place more of
a priority on the environment. The health of Beijing residents is no less
important than the health of those athletes who were here for a few weeks."
"We can't just expect wind, snow or rain to wipe out the pollution when it
gets bad," Ma added. "The city must take pollution more seriously and
implement preventive measures."
One Beijing resident said he was suffering breathing difficulties.
"I feel like I'm having some problems with breathing and distress in my
chest," said a high school teacher who only gave his surname, Qiao. |
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