I don't see anyone mentioning this ...
http://online.wsj.com/...
By WAYNE MA
BEIJING—China's capital endured its worst air pollution in recent memory over the weekend, illustrating the persistent challenge the nation's new leaders face in addressing environmental woes.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/...
China’s air pollution goes off the charts
Leo Lewis Beijing
Last updated at 4:49AM, January 13 2013
China’s capital city faced a third day cloaked in a choking, acrid smog today as seasonal pollution and adverse weather conditions befoul the air and make breathing hazardous.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/...
BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authority issued a yellow alert for fog that continued to shroud the country's central and eastern regions on Sunday.
The heavy fog has affected flights at airports in Beijing, Hebei, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jilin, Heilongjiang and Sichuan, with visibility reduced to around 100 meters at some airports.
Ten flights had been canceled and five flights delayed by more than an hour at the Beijing Capital International Airport as of 11 a.m. Sunday, the airport said.
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/...
Air Pollution in Beijing At Record Levels
In recent days, the pollution in the Beijing air has reached record levels, with the PM2.5 levels surging past the U.S. Embassy’s maximum reading of 500 to reach close to 900. (PM2.5 refers to particulate matter that measures smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.) Anything between 301-500 is declared “hazardous,” while previous readings above 500 were notoriously deemed “crazy bad” by Embassy staff. According to the World Health Organization, the recommended daily level of PM2.5 is 20. From the New York Times:
http://www.morningwhistle.com/...
China air pollution levels still hazardous
The density of PM2.5 particulates surpassed 700 micrograms per cubic meter in many parts of the city, according to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center.
The World Health Organization considers a safe daily level to be 25 micrograms per cubic meter.
PM2.5 are tiny particulates that can penetrate deep into the lungs. Measuring them is considered a more accurate reflection of air quality than other methods.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/...
However, the problem has now become a national phenomenon, rather than one unique to Beijing. On Saturday, levels of PM2.5 passed 300 micrograms per cubic meter in 33 of the 74 cities with systems equipped to monitor the particles.
The heavy smog saw at least 25 international and domestic flights to and from Beijing Capital International Airport cancelled by Sunday morning. Many highways were closed in Shandong and Jiangxi provinces, and the poor visibility resulted in a number of collisions on Sunday morning, claiming one life in Shaoyang, Hunan province.
http://www.scmp.com/...
Hazardous smog chokes Beijing, disrupts flight traffic
The Beijing centre recommended that children and the elderly stay indoors, while others should avoid outdoor activities.
In the 24-hour period up to 10am on Sunday, it said 18 of the hourly readings were “beyond index”. The highest number was 755, which corresponded to a PM2.5 density of 886 micrograms per cubic metre. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality index goes up to only 500, and the agency advises that anything greater than 300 would trigger a health warning of “emergency conditions”, with the entire population likely affected.