This map, which is based on data from NASA’s satellite-based Ozone Monitoring Instrument, illustrates elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide over several cities across southwestern Asia and the Middle East from Jan. 1-8. Shades of orange reflect the relative abundance of NO2 in the atmosphere, with high levels visible in Tehran, Istanbul, and New Delhi. Areas shown in grey indicate areas where data was insufficient. (NASA)
via Map Illustrates Air Pollution Across Asia, Middle East: e360 Gallery.
The Missoula City-County Health Department has issued a Stage 2 air pollution warning, and with it a ban on woodstove emissions in the Missoula Valley.
The current eight-hour particulate (PM2.5) average is at 35 micrograms per cubic meter – and the 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard is 35.
So Missoula is very close to exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard, said air quality specialist Ben Schmidt.
“The high pressure ridge parked over the Missoula Valley is unlikely to leave till Wednesday when a weather system is predicted to come through,” Schmidt said late Monday. “The high pressure ridge coupled with strong inversions means conditions will likely continue to deteriorate.”
Health officials encourage residents to avoid nonessential driving, carpool or use non-motorized or public transportation. In addition, woodstove restrictions are in effect.
via Stage 2 air pollution warning issued for Missoula, Frenchtown.
Air pollution in Tehran is about to reach an alarming level, the director of Tehran’s Air Quality Control Company said on Sunday. The air is unhealthy both for those who are vulnerable to air pollution and a large number of people who have been breathing polluted air for nearly two months since the weather has turned cold, Yousef Rashidi told the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency.
via Tehran’s air pollution about to reach alarming level – Tehran Times.
Right now it seems like everyone in China, even Xinhua, is talking about the pollution. Beijing pollution has reached record highs in previous days, a staggering 900 micrograms of particulate matter per square meter. And not just any particulate matter, this is specifically referring to the most hazardous kind, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
Fortunately for us, the pollution isn’t quite as severe in Chengdu, but we’ve been breaking our own records recently.
The pollution index has gone over 400 this week, which is a rare and unfortunate event for the city. Along with the increased pollution, the subject of air quality has become a topic of discussion in Chengdu like I’ve never seen before. With 14 million residents in the city, few foreigners have the illusion that Chengdu isn’t polluted, but the situation has escalated to perturb even the most laid-back locals.
On the Chengdu Forum, discussion of air quality has become a recurring theme among concerned residents.The truth is that we’re all looking for ways to cope with the side-effects of Chengdu’s development. With that pursuit in mind, here are five tips on dealing with pollution in the Sichuan capital city. We need them now more than ever before.
How To Handle Chengdu’s Pollution Like a Pro – Chengdu Living.
A pilot King’s College study which saw volunteers in London wear personal air quality monitors for a day found clear peaks and troughs in particulate matter exposure on the commute to and from work or school, writes Michael Holder
The results of a pilot study which saw London volunteers wear air quality monitors for the day to measure personal exposure to pollution were presented by King’s College researchers.
The study showed clear peaks in exposure to particulate matter (PM) at times in the day when volunteers were travelling to and from work or school, and also during trips out of premises during lunch breaks.
The study involved several volunteers of various ages and occupations in London wearing personal air quality monitors during an average weekday in November. They were monitored from around 8am until 2am in order to measure various peaks and troughs in their exposure to particulate matter.
Continue reading: Londoners measure personal air pollution exposure | AirQualityNews.
Air pollution in Beijing has been described as “apocalyptic” this week with people choking their way through murky streets, short of breath and their eyes stinging from toxic air. But Beijing is just one of hundreds of cities, largely in Asia, where poisonous air is now the fastest growing cause of death in urban populations.
In the past few months there have been acute air pollution incidents reported in Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Pakistan. In Tehran, the desperate authorities had to close all public offices, schools, universities and banks twice in the last two months; In Nepal the army has had to give up its cars and in Kabul it has been reported that there are now more deaths as a result of air and water pollution than from conflict.
Statistics are unreliable, with few cities able to monitor accurately either the source or the level of the cocktail of pollutants emitted by traffic, ships, industry, brick kilns and domestic heating. But go to the hospitals and doctors will tell you that up to 80% of people admitted come with respiratory or other chronic diseases linked to air pollution. In Tehran, more than 4,500 people were said to have died last year because of air pollution – but because cancers can take years to develop the true figure may be far higher.
Perhaps because there are no drugs available to counter air pollution, it has never been taken as seriously by governments as other diseases like HIV/Aids or malaria, even though the World Health Organisation estimates more than 2 million people worldwide die every year from bad air and that it is now among the top 10 killers in the world. But governments may have to act as new research shows it to be rapidly worsening.
via Beijing is not the only Asian city with lethal air pollution | Environment | guardian.co.uk.
Air pollution in China is at an all-time high. The Asian Development Bank together with Tsinghua University recently released the “National Environmental Analysis,” has reported that among the world’s ten most air polluted cities, 7 are in China. They are Taiyuan, Beijing, Urumqi, Lanzhou, Chongqing, Jinan and Shijiazhuang.
via 7 of 10 Most Air-Polluted Cities Are in China : Discovery News.
Air pollution in Beijing has reached a new high in the past few days. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that exposure to particulate matter increases the risk of many chronic and acute respiratory conditions in children and adults. The WHO air quality guidelines indicate that by reducing particulate matter (PM10) pollution from 70 to 20 micrograms per cubic metre, air quality related deaths can be reduced by around 15%. Explore the map below to see annual exposure to outdoor air pollution mapped.
• Get the data behind the map
Exposure to outdoor air pollution: mapped by city | News | guardian.co.uk.
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