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☆ New York is choking on smog. But for these cities, it’s just another day
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hong Kong CNN —For days, images of New York choking in smoke have stunned the United States, as residents struggle to deal with the unfamiliar challenge of severe air pollution. That means its people are exposed to high levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, a widely used indicator of harmful air pollution. It culminated in the infamous 2013 “air-pocalypse,” when the air quality index hit 755, smashing what was supposed to be the top of the scale at 500, according to the US Embassy in Beijing that kept a daily air quality monitor. In 2021, Beijing recorded its best monthly air quality since records began in 2013; photos now show mostly blue skies in the city. It’s an encouraging sign, and evidence that the right policies and investment can help fix air quality.

Persons: smothers, Andrew Kelly, Sanchit Khanna, Chiang Mai, Nicolas Asfouri, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, ”, Lucky Tran Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Rockefeller Center, Reuters, Hindustan Times, Embassy, Canadian, United Nations, East Coasters Locations: Hong Kong, York, United States, Canada, Coast, West Coast, California, Asia, New York, India, New Delhi, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Beijing, AFP, –, China, It’s, South Carolina, Quebec, Yorkers

☆ New York City tops world's worst air pollution list from Canada wildfire smoke
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Smoke from the Canadian wildfires blankets New York City affecting air quality on June 7th, 2023. A man sits at the bus stop with a mask on his face in New York City, June 6, 2023. Selcuk Acar | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesMillions of people in the Midwest are experiencing dangerous air quality conditions, with air quality advisories in effect in southeastern Minnesota, parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and areas in Wisconsin. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of global wildfires and air pollution from wildfire smoke is also growing worse. Last year, Stanford researchers found millions of Americans are routinely exposed to wildfire smoke pollution at levels rarely seen only a decade ago.

Persons: Leslie Josephs, Kathy Hochul, Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, Gary Hershorn, Selcuk Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, New York's, Newark Liberty International, CNBC New York Gov, Wednesday, Health, CIRA, NOAA, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Quality Health, Corbis, Getty, Canada, Anadolu Agency, of, National Weather Service, Stanford Locations: New York City, Northeastern U.S, Kist, York, Canada, York City, Quebec, New York, Herald Square, Manhattan , New York, Minnesota, of Michigan, Wisconsin, Air, New England

☆ New York City residents urged to stay indoors as unhealthy air quality from Canadian wildfires persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Aya Elamroussi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York City public schools canceled all outdoor activities Wednesday, but will remain open. At least 10 school districts in central New York state canceled outdoor activities and events Tuesday. By 7 a.m. Wednesday, New York City’s air quality index was just below 180, a designation of “unhealthy,” according to IQair. New York City tallied to the worst air quality of any major metropolitan area Tuesday at 10 p.m., IQair’s data showed. Cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, are expected to see their air quality improve throughout the day.

Persons: Eric Adams, IQair, ”, William Barrett Organizations: CNN, New, Carolinas, National Weather Service, New York, . New York City, Doha, Air, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, World Health Organization, American Lung Association Locations: Canada, New York, New York City, Massachusetts , New Hampshire , Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Wednesday, . New, New Delhi, India, Qatar, Baghdad, Iraq, Lahore, Pakistan, Quebec, South Carolina, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Raleigh , North Carolina

New York City’s air quality index was above 200 at one point Tuesday night – a level that is “very unhealthy,” according to IQair. Later Tuesday night, New York City had the second-worst levels of air pollution in the world after New Delhi, India, IQair reported. Air quality alerts were in effect across parts of the Northeast and the Midwest on Tuesday as wildfire smoke spread west into Detroit and Chicago. Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesDetroit was listed in IQair’s top 10 worst locations for air pollution on Tuesday afternoon. Chicago’s air quality was moderate on Tuesday afternoon and is expected to remain moderate for the next couple of days.

Persons: IQair, ”, William Barrett, ” Barrett, Spencer Platt Organizations: CNN, New, Doha, World Health, World Health Organization, American Lung Association, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Midwest, National Weather Service, Getty, Detroit, IQAir Locations: New York City, Quebec, York, New Delhi, India, Qatar, Baghdad, Iraq, Lahore, Pakistan, New York, Canadian, Canada, Detroit, Chicago, IQair’s, New England, Massachusetts , Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont, Cities, Baltimore, Boston, Hartford, Providence, Montpelier , Vermont, South Carolina, IQAir North America

☆ Could these Verto air purification towers tackle India’s pollution problem?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Designed by architecture firm Studio Symbiosis, which has offices in India and Germany, the towers contain five air filtration “cubes” stacked inside a geometric shell. Studio Symbiosis said that a construction company in the US has meanwhile ordered around 40 of the towers to tackle dust and fine debris at building sites. Using filters from German firm Mann+Hummel, the Studio Symbiosis architects focused on creating the most efficient shape for the towers, with digital models simulating different wind conditions. “Our core business is architecture — we did not want to get into air purification,” Amit said. Avesh GaurIronically, by using electric fans to suck in air, the towers are contributing — albeit negligibly — to the very emissions they are trying to mitigate.

☆ Lahore is most polluted city, Chad worst among countries - survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lahore's air quality worsened to 97.4 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic meter from 86.5 in 2021, making it the most polluted city globally. Hotan, the only Chinese city in the top 20, followed Lahore with PM2.5 levels of 94.3, an improvement from 101.5 in 2021. While Chad had an average level of 89.7, Iraq, which had the second most polluted air for a country, averaged 80.1. Bangladesh's air quality improved from 2021, when it was tagged as the country with the worst air. The index was prepared using data from more than 30,000 air quality monitors in more than 7,300 locations in 131 countries, territories and regions.

☆ 'I feel my eyes burn': Thailand says stay indoors as air pollution spikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A view of the city amid air pollution in Bangkok, Thailand, February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Athit PerawongmethaBANGKOK, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Air pollution in Bangkok and neighbouring Thai provinces spiked past safe levels on Thursday, prompting authorities to urge people to stay indoors and avoid strenuous outdoor activity. The country's pollution control department said "stagnant weather conditions" were exacerbating vehicle emissions and seasonal fires on agricultural lands. The level in Bangkok and the surrounding areas is currently 70.5 micrograms per cubic metre. Every year, exposure to outdoor air pollution is estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths, according to the WHO.

☆ U.S. EPA tightens soot standards for first time in decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Fine particulate matter, or soot, comes from sources ranging from power plants to cars and trucks. It causes lung and heart damage and has been found to disproportionately affect low-income communities, according to EPA. "Fine particulate matter is both deadly and extremely costly," EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters, adding the decision was "based on sound science and a rigorous evaluation of the data that we have at hand." The EPA said it would also take public comment on revising the level to as low as 8 µg/m3, and as high as 11 µg/m3. The EPA also opted to retain the current primary 24-hour PM 2.5 standard of 35 µg/m3, despite a CASAC recommendation to lower that number to 25 µg/m3.

☆ Smog engulfs Indian capital as winter pollution worsens
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Shivam Patel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Thick smog engulfed India's capital New Delhi on Tuesday as air pollution worsened with the setting in of winter, shooting up concentrations of fine particles in the air three times above the acceptable limits. The world's most polluted capital city struggles to breathe easy every winter as cold temperatures and calm winds trap pollutants closer to the ground. "As the minimum temperature is dropping, gradual fog occurrence during early morning hours is likely to increase, leading to deterioration of air quality index (AQI)," said the federal government's System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) in a daily bulletin. The AQI in parts of the city shot up above 400 on Tuesday, which is classified as the 'severe' category of air pollution, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). But experts have said these measures need to be applied across northern India and in cities and towns around New Delhi that form the wider National Capital Region, which also suffer from poor air quality, to effectively control pollution.

☆ Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Progress on Clean Air
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Smoke from wildfires has worsened over the past decade, potentially reversing decades of improvements in Western air quality made under the Clean Air Act, according to research published Thursday from Stanford University. The new analysis reveals a picture of daily exposure to wildfire smoke in better geographic detail than ever before. Where Wildfire Smoke Pollution Increased Over the Past Decade 0 0.25 0.5 1 2 4+ micrograms of PM2.5 Seattle Spokane WASH. Portland MAINE Missoula MONT. FLA. Micrograms of PM2.5 0 0.25 0.5 1 2 4+ Note: Map shows increase in average wildfire smoke from 2006-2010 to 2016-2020. The research isolated wildfire smoke from background pollution from other sources, which has actually decreased in recent decades.

☆ (VIDEO) Fenomen în premieră în China. În Beijing, cerul s-a făcut galben, iar soarele a devenit un punct albastru
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-29 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +3 min

O furtună de nisip a lovit Beijingul, fiind purtată de curenţi de aer din Mongolia şi nord-vestul Chinei. Furtuna de nisip, care a învăluit Beijingul pentru a doua oară în mai puțin de două săptămâni, a împins nivelurile de poluare peste limitele considerate periculoase și a făcut ca cerul să devină galben iar soarele să se reducă la un punct albastru, scrie digi24. Pe platforma chineză de socializare Weibo, oamenii au postat numeroase imagini cu „soarele albastru”, iluzia optică fiind un efect al modului în care este difuzată lumina soarelui în particulele de nisip și de apă. Furtuna de nisip a fost cauzată de vânturile puternice care transportau praf din Mongolia, afectată de secetă și din alte părți din nord-vestul Chinei. Nivelul particulelor de dimensiuni mai mici PM2.5 a fost peste 300 micrograme pe metru cub, cu mult peste pragul standard în China, de 35 de micrograme.

Persons: Wang Ji Organizations: Inner Locations: Chinei, Mongolia, Beijing, China, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei

☆ Beijingul, afectat de o furtună de nisip, a doua într-un interval de două săptămâni
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-28 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

Capitala Chinei, Beijing, s-a trezit duminică dimineaţă învăluită într-un strat dens de praf, cu un conţinut ridicat de particule periculoase, după ce o furtună de nisip, a doua într-un interval de două săptămâni, s-a abătut asupra oraşului, purtată de curenţi de aer din Mongolia şi nord-vestul Chinei, informează Reuters, citat de agerpres.ro. Mereu există o zi sau două ca asta (poluare sau praf) în fiecare lună”, a spus domnul Fan, în vârstă de 39 de ani, care nu a dorit să-şi dezvăluie numele complet. Administraţia de Meteorologie din China a emis vineri o alertă galbenă, avertizând asupra unei furtuni de nisip care se deplasează dinspre Mongolia înspre provinciile din nordul Chinei, printre care Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Liaoning şi Hebei, care înconjoară Beijingul. Administraţia meteorologică a precizat că furtunile de nisip care au afectat recent Beijingul provin din Mongolia, unde temperaturile relativ calde din această primăvară şi precipitaţiile reduse au făcut ca zone întinse să devină aride, creând condiţii favorabile pentru furtuni de nisip. Beijingul s-ar putea confrunta şi cu alte furtuni de nisip pe parcursul lunii aprilie din cauza condiţiilor meteo nefavorabile de anul acesta, a precizat administraţia pentru meteorologie.

Organizations: Reuters, Inner Locations: Chinei, Beijing, Mongolia, China, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei

☆ Raport: Peste 400.000 de europeni au murit din cauza poluării aerului, în ultimii doi ani
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-23 | by ( Diana Severin | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +4 min

Guvernele europene sunt deficitare la protejarea cetățenilor față de poluarea aerului, conform unui raport al Agenției Europene de Mediu (AEM). Poluanții din agricultură, încălzire casnică și mașini sunt surse ale problemei, printre altele, în ciuda legislației UE, a promisiunilor guvernamentale și a anilor de campanii anti-poluare. Agenția europeană estimează că expunerea la particule fine de materie a cauzat aproape 417.000 de decese premature în 41 de țări din Europa în 2018. În ceea ce privește dioxidul de azot, scăderea este chiar mai mare, deoarece numărul de decese premature a scăzut cu 54% în ultimii zece ani. Legătura de cauzalitate dintre poluarea aerului și gravitatea infecțiilor cu COVID-19 nu este însă clară, fiind necesare cercetări epidemiologice suplimentare.

Organizations: Agenției, Uniunii Europene, Organizația Mondială a Sănătății ( OMS, Agenția, OMS, Comisia Europeană, Organizația Mondială a Sănătății Locations: Europa, Bulgaria, Croația, Cehia, Italia, Polonia, România, Estonia, Finlanda, Islanda, Irlanda, UE

☆ Peste 400.000 de europeni au murit din cauza poluării aerului
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-23 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +4 min

Agenția europeană estimează că expunerea la particule fine de materie a cauzat aproape 417.000 de decese premature în 41 de țări din Europa în 2018. Conform raportului AEM, politicile europene, naționale și locale, precum și reducerile emisiilor din sectoarele principale de activitate au îmbunătățit calitatea aerului în Europa. În ceea ce privește dioxidul de azot, scăderea este chiar mai mare, deoarece numărul de decese premature a scăzut cu 54% în ultimii zece ani. Legătura de cauzalitate dintre poluarea aerului și gravitatea infecțiilor cu COVID-19 nu este însă clară, fiind necesare cercetări epidemiologice suplimentare. „Efectele expunerii la poluarea atmosferică asupra sănătății sunt diverse, de la inflamarea plămânilor până la decese premature.

Organizations: Uniunii Europene, Organizația Mondială a Sănătății ( OMS, Agenția, OMS, Comisia Europeană, Organizația Mondială a Sănătății Locations: Europa, Bulgaria, Croația, Cehia, Italia, Polonia, România, Estonia, Finlanda, Islanda, Irlanda, UE, Italiei, Grecia, Luxemburg

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