Beijing Pollution - Facts and Figures

One of the biggest challenges facing Beijing in the final run-up to the Olympic Games is how to deal with the city's pollution problem.
The World Health Organization says air pollution figures for Beijing are still far higher than its recommended target level.

IOC President Jacques Rogge has given a warning that some endurance events might have to be postponed to a different time of day if pollution levels are very high.

The Beijing authorities say pollution levels are coming down and they have introduced a series of measures, such as reducing traffic driving in to the city and stopping work at building sites, to bring down levels even further.


THE PROBLEM

Air pollution in Beijing is a problem. Figures for particulate matter (PM10) - tiny airborne particles caused by the burning of fossil fuels like motor vehicles - are regularly several times higher than the WHO air quality guideline level of 50 micrograms/cubic metre.

They even exceed WHO's interim target for developing countries of 150 micrograms/cubic metre. The interim or "easy" target is intended to encourage developing countries to begin gradually cutting down emissions.

The BBC is taking its own PM10 readings in the run-up to the Olympic Games. The reading is being taken by a hand-held meter outside the BBC office in Beijing in early afternoon.

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau also publishes a daily reading based on an average figure for a 24-hour period taken from a variety of locations around the city.

Pollution levels can vary widely during the day and this may help explain some of the discrepancy between the two readings. Different measuring tools can also give different readings and local factors such as a big fire, or a particularly busy rush-hour, can also cause a sudden spike in pollution levels.

According to the Beijing authorities, the number of "blue sky" days in the city, or days measuring less than 100 PM10/microgram per cubic metre, has increased from 100 in 1998 to 246 in 2007.

It is aiming for 256 days blue sky days in 2008.

Concern has been raised about pollution levels at different Olympic venues in the past.

In Seoul, Korea, host to the games in 1988, traffic was banned because of fears about air pollution but the predicted problems did not materialise.

Similar fears were raised about the games in Athens in 2004, and Los Angeles in 1984.

London, which hosts the next Olympic games in 2012, already achieves daily PM10 levels below the WHO target.

In 2007, at a measuring station in Tower Hamlets, East London, close to the Olympic site, only 12 days measured above the WHO air quality target.


THE IMPLICATIONS

The IOC is insisting there is no health risk to athletes taking part in the games. But it has said some events, like the marathon, triathlon and open water swimming may have to be postponed, or scheduled for a different time of day when pollution levels are lower.

In normal conditions, oxygen makes up about 21% of the air. High levels of PM10 means less oxygen passing through the lungs into the blood and to the muscles which, in turn, could affect athletes' performance times.

Athletes can take in up to 20 times more air than sedentary people and thus 20 times as much pollution. Once in the lungs PM10 particles can cause irritation and inflammation and exacerbate existing conditions such as asthma.

The athletes most likely to be affected are those taking part in endurance and longer events, who are most exposed to the pollution.

John Brewer of the Sports Science Academy in Slough, Berkshire, says no comparative studies have been made measuring the impact of air pollution on an athlete's performance in clean and polluted air.

But, he said, if air pollution levels in Beijing remained high, performance would be affected.

High levels of air pollutants are known to cause respiratory diseases. A WHO report in 2006 said 32.8 million people in China had COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an umbrella term used to describe lung diseases such as bronchitis. Out of a total population of 1.3 billion, 39 million also had asthma.

WHO figures for 2004 show 110 people out of every 100,000 die from chronic respiratory diseases in China, compared to a level of 72 per 100,000 in the UK.


SOLUTIONS

The Beijing authorities have announced a series of measures to bring down air pollution levels. They include:
New tough EU-standard emissions levels were introduced for cars in March
From 20 July, traffic driving into Beijing will be restricted
Factories and other industrial plants are being ordered to stop work or stagger opening times
Coal-burning boilers are being replaced
The Beijing Olympic Committee insists it is on target for a pollution-free games.

Air pollution figures during the Chinese summer tend to be lower than the rest of the year. In fact, figures for July and August 2006 were both well under the WHO interim target.

Source:BBC