Smog Looms Over North and Northeastern China

Northern and Northeastern China have been covered in heavy smog. The smog has influenced one tenth of China’s land territory, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).  Specifically, the smog covers 630,000 square kilometers of northeastern Chinese land and 380,000 square kilometers of northern Chinese land.  The MEP blamed this latest smog spell on “adverse meteorological conditions.”

This smog created a hike in the Air Pollution Index (API) of seven provinces and municipalities, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 500 in 11 cities in northeastern China between November 3^rd and November 5^th.  The MEP has sent 12 inspection teams to the Tianjin municipality, as well as Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Shandong for emergency inspections.  According to China Daily, the team found “weak emergency responses, inadequate countermeasures against heavy air pollution, suspected excessive discharge by 39 enterprises, and large-scale straw burning.”

Written by: Kevin Sonukan

For more information: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-11/06/content_27285931.htm