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REGION: Asia-Pacific
TOPIC: Health
Online NewsHour
FORUM
Posted: August 4, 2008

Air Pollution in China

 Forum Introduction
Kenneth Rahn Atmospheric chemist Kenneth Rahn regularly travels to China to consult with scientists there about the country's air pollution problem. Rahn took your questions about pollution in Beijing during the run-up to the Olympic Games.
QUESTIONS
Have recent Chinese government efforts to reduce the pollution been effective?
How does pollution in Beijing compare to metropolitan areas in the United States?
How does air quality in Beijing compare to previous Olympic locations?
Are pollution problems less serious in other Chinese cities?
What is the chemical makeup of pollution in Beijing?
Is there any way to find out pollution levels in a localized way?
Do the Chinese have a realistic chance of cleaning up the pollution in Beijing?
Will China's efforts to curb pollution affect air quality in the United States?
What about the three southern cities mentioned in the NewsHour story?
Do you see this as a public education opportunity?
What are the long-term effects on the Chinese population?
Does pollution stay in the lungs or get flushed out over time?
David Diehnel of Cathedral City, Ca. asks
I read that up to 40 percent of the air pollution in southern California crosses the pacific from China. Are there any studies or special monitoring of U.S. air quality as Beijing takes measures to increase air quality during the Olympic Games?
ANSWERS
Kenneth Rahn responds:

I think that is a huge overestimate. Maybe 4 percent is more like it, if even that.

That kind of study would be exceedingly difficult, given how hard it is to detect the very low concentrations of materials that make it across the Pacific. And then Beijing's effect would be hard to sort out from the large variations caused by temporal differences in transport. I suspect that it won't happen. If we can't even see an effect in Beijing itself, how will we be able to find anything so far away?

Next Question and Answer
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