Air pollution News

Op-Ed: NASA releases video of global CO2, and it’s an ugly sight

Sydney - Forget the hype, check out the fact. The patterns of CO2 circulation in the atmosphere, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, are pretty repulsive looking things. China’s notorious smog is clearly visible, and the United States isn’t much better.

Beijing bans outdoor grills in effort to tackle pollution

Beijing - Government authorities in Beijing, China, deeply concerned over high pollution levels issued a new law that goes into affect May 1. The law targets outdoor grilling, and with the approach of summer, the impact of the law is sure to create dissention.

China, Japan and S. Korea to collaborate on environmental issues

In a rare moment of mutual commitment, environmental ministers from China, Japan and South Korea, meeting in Daegu, S. Korea on Tuesday, issued a joint statement, agreeing to unite in addressing environmental issues, particularly PM2.5 pollutants.

Op-Ed: Does air pollution decline as economic freedom rises? Special

Toronto - Does the quality of the air increase with economic prosperity? That's the opinion of the right-of-center Canadian Fraser Institute. It is not a view shared by the Green Party.

New study shows how Asian air pollution affects the weather

In the first study of its kind, researchers have compared pollution rates from 1850 through 2000, and have discovered that man-made pollutants from Asian countries are impacting weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere.

Op-Ed: China's pollution gets worse, but face masks still don't work

Air pollution in China has become so bad that it has fueled a face-mask cottage-industry in the country. While most of the masks are no better than wearing a bandana over one's face, people are spending millions of dollars for this needed protection.

Paris to restrict use of cars because of choking smog

Paris - Air pollution levels in Paris, France has been 80 percent higher than in London or Berlin over the past week, prompting the city to offer free public transportation, as well as require drivers to reduce their speed.

China's artificial 'nuclear winter' wrecking havoc on agriculture

Beijing - In Beijing, the air is so thick with toxic smog that officials are warning citizens to wear masks when outdoors, or stay inside. With air-quality levels rising far above what is considered safe, one scientist compared the foul air to a "nuclear winter."

Beijing’s thick smog is full of microbes

Beijing - Some 1,300 species of microbes, including some associated with allergies and lung disease, have been detected adrift in Beijing’s thick smog.

Pollution and Bird Flu crisis may dampen Beijing's Lunar New Year

Beijing - Imagine the Fourth of July without the fireworks display on Washington's Mall, or New Years on Times Square without the ball dropping. In China, where fireworks were invented, the Lunar New Year on Friday may be celebrated without them.

Op-Ed: Beijing will try again to tackle its air pollution

Beijing - Last week, Beijing's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau at a press conference, addressed the dirty dish-water pollution covering the city. They blamed the toxic miasma on a number of problems, the biggest being coal-fired industries, among others.

New study: Chinese pollution making landfall on the West Coast

China's air quality problem may have repercussions outside of Asia. A new study suggests that Chinese pollution is affecting America's West Coast.

Shanghai reaches 'hazardous' levels of smog Special

Shanghai - Shanghai has reached the highest levels of air pollution in the year with PM 2.5 of up to 442, according to official AQI numbers.

Many air pollutants have been declared carcinogenic

Contaminants in the air are officially carcinogens (potentially cancer causing), a World Health Organization (WHO) report indicates.

2 million deaths per year caused by air pollution

Sydney - A new study has found that an estimated 2.1 million deaths per year are caused by fine particulate matter. These materials are released into the atmosphere as a direct result of air pollution.

Chile: Severe air pollution affecting seven major cities

Santiago - Seven Chilean cities, with a total population of close to seven million people, have accumulated in the first semester of 2013 more than 37 days of dangerous levels of air quality exceeding the daily maximum norm of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Hazardous smoke blankets Singapore, pollution index reaches 371

Hazardous smoke coming from neighboring Indonesia threatens Singapore residents as fire continues to spread in the vast forest of Sumatra since the beginning of the week.

Autism risk closely linked to air pollution, recent study finds

Exposure to air pollution while pregnant may increase woman's risk that her unborn child eventually develops autism. Pollutants like diesel particulates, lead, manganese, mercury, and methylene chloride has been shown to affect a developing baby's brain.

Op-Ed: What should the Chinese gov’t do about its air pollution?

Beijing - The runaway economic success story of the past decade, China has earned plaudits from economies across the globe, for its attempts at free market trading, but also for its drive to become an environmental trendsetter by embracing clean technologies.

Extreme pollution doesn’t deter Chinese celebrations

Beijing - Record breaking levels of air pollution in China haven’t stopped people from buying and setting off thousands of fireworks for the Chinese New Year’s week-long festivities.

Soot could be important in climate change

New research suggests that soot is the second most important factor in climate change, with carbon dioxide remaining the primary factor.

Beijing air pollution hits dangerous levels (Video)

Beijing - Residents in Beijing are being recommended to stay indoors by local authorities, as the air pollution goes way over the permissible levels.

Beijing air pollution at dangerous levels

The level of air pollution in the Chinese capital Beijing is now at such a dangerous level that it is 'hazardous to human health."

Greeks warned of health risks of burning wood indoors

As austerity hit Greek households are forced to turn to wood burning indoors for heat, yet more health warnings have been issued. The latest warnings focus on the risks of breathing in the chemical particles contained in smoke produced from wood.

Birds used to track and monitor pollution

Common birds are being used by scientists to monitor and assess the levels of pollution. The use of birds is particularly applicable after an attempt has been made to clean-up an area.

Fox News report says air pollution is good for the environment

A recent Fox News article makes the stunning claim that scientific research shows that pollution is good for the environment. The article titled "Answer to speedy tree growth lies in air pollution" seeks to justify pollution.

Report: Polluted air will kill more people than dirty water

Urban air pollution is set to become the top environmental cause of mortality worldwide by 2050, says a new report by France's Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The worst countries affected will be China and India.

U.K. air pollution putting 'tens of thousands' at risk

London - A U.K. environmental watchdog is claiming that the government is putting the lives of "tens of thousands" at risk by watering down European Union air quality standards instead of tackling the problem directly.

How tropical forests are fertilized by pollution

Smithsonian Institution scientists previously researched the ways humans disrupt the nitrogen cycle in tropical forests; new studies at two remote Panama and Thailand sites have provided evidence of long-term nitrogen pollution effects in tropical trees.