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News > World

China: Air Pollution Disrupts Road and Air Traffic in Beijing

  • Pedestrians wearing protective masks are seen on a street on a heavily polluted day in Beijing, December 26, 2015.

    Pedestrians wearing protective masks are seen on a street on a heavily polluted day in Beijing, December 26, 2015. | Photo: Reuters

Published 26 December 2015
Opinion

The visibility of less than 100 meters in some parts of the Chinese capital Beijing forced some flights and local expressways to be closed.

Air pollution has reached record levels in China till the point it has disrupted road and air traffic in the capital of Beijing.

Local media reported that a thick layer of smog lay over Beijing on Friday and Saturday morning with a visibility of less than 100 meters in some parts of the city, forcing some flights and local expressways to be closed.

Xinhua news agency reported that at least 220 flights were canceled due to the poor visibility, meanwhile the alert remains in yellow.

There are four color-coded levels, in order from most severe to least: red, orange, yellow and blue. So far in December, the Chinese capital has issued two red alerts, its only two ever.

Heavy smog covers residential buildings in Beijing, on Dec. 25, 2015. REUTERS/Jason Lee

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center reported that the concentration of "harmful particulate matter" — known as PM2.5 — averaged 340 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing, and peaked at 500 micrograms around noon on Friday, according to Xinhua. These particles are dangerous, because they can make their way into the lungs and eventually into the bloodstream.

Readings over 100 micrograms per cubic meter are unsafe for sensitive groups, such as the elderly or children. Anything over 150 is considered “unhealthy” for all individuals and above 300 is considered “hazardous.”

Local media reported that the air pollution in China has caused a surge of patients with respiratory issues at hospitals. Other major cities like Shanghai, the most populated city in China, are also grappling with severe air pollution.

According to the World Health Organization or WHO, 7 million people die each year of contamination-related diseases.

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