Category Archives: Air Quality

Team cracks mystery of London’s ‘killer fog’ 

In 1952, a killer fog containing pollutants covered London for five days, causing breathing problems and killing thousands of residents. The exact cause and nature of the fog has remained mostly unknown for decades, but scientists now believe the mystery … Continue reading

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As a Noxious Smog Descends, Tehran Tries to Ignore It

This week, as a yellow blanket of smog settled in for what is typically a winter-long stay, Reza Shajiee, a prominent hipster socialite, posted a picture of himself on Instagram wearing a gas mask under his motorcycle helmet. The text … Continue reading

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China says air pollution worsens in October 

Air quality in China’s smog-hit northern regions, which include the capital Beijing, worsened in October despite overall improvements over the course of the year, the environment ministry said in a notice late on Monday. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said … Continue reading

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Schools shut in Tehran over air pollution

Officials in the Iranian capital, Tehran, have ordered the closure of kindergartens and elementary schools for a second consecutive day as heavy pollution continues to blanket the city of some 12 million. Members of Tehran’s Air Pollution Emergency Committee decided … Continue reading

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An inconvenient truth about Bonfire Night pollution

Pollutionwatch Substances released during Guy Fawkes celebrations are often the very pollutants that industry goes to great lengths to filter out Guy Fawkes is often the most polluted evening of the year. Smoke from bonfires and fireworks can build up … Continue reading

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Gridlock in West Africa: Accra’s troubled attempts to tackle its traffic crisis 

In Ghana’s capital, cars, motorbikes and minibuses jostle for road space during a daily descent on the city centre. With air pollution killing thousands every year and Accra’s population set to double within 20 years, can the city find a … Continue reading

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Delhi is a wakeup call for world on air pollution

But this is not just a challenge in Delhi. It is a growing challenge for many cities around the world. Air pollution levels in other Indian cities, such as Varanasi and Lucknow, have been equally extreme in recent days. And … Continue reading

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The Guardian view on air pollution: the next generation carries the burden of our inaction

On Sunday, the capital city of one of the world’s fastest growing economies was effectively shut down in an emergency act. The reason was not terrorism, but air pollution. The threat to citizens from smog in Delhi was judged so … Continue reading

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