Neighboring regions are one of the major contributors to the Chinese capital’s PM 2.5 pollution — particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 micrograms that can go deep into the lungs and is extremely harmful to health — according to recently updated research by the city’s environmental watchdog.

 

As much as 28 percent to 36 percent of Beijing’s PM 2.5 pollution is contributed by neighboring regions, including Tianjin and Hebei province, according to the PM 2.5 source-identification study released by the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau.

 

Monitoring stations by roadsides register an obviously higher PM 2.5 intensity compared with other monitors, mostly due to direct emissions from automobiles, which also stir up dust while driving, further worsening pollution, the bureau said.

 

As one of the areas hit hardest by smog, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has been conducting studies to identify the sources of PM 2.5.

 

In addition to the 31.1 percent of pollution contributed by automobile exhaust, the burning of coal contributes 22.4 percent and industrial emissions contribute 18.1 percent, according to the bureau.

 

As much as 26 percent of PM 2.5 are organic pollutants, 17 percent are nitrate and 16 percent are sulfate, it said.

 

Wang Gengchen, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Atmospheric Physics, said that because the external sources of pollution are dynamic, it’s natural to see data gaps in different research.

 

The capital is considering introducing a stricter standard for fuel, or the Beijing phase VI fuel standard by 2016, an upgrade from the current National V fuel standard, which calls for sulfur content of no more than 10 parts per million.

 

The new standard would be the strictest worldwide, the bureau said. 

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment