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Beijing's air still not up to Olympic standard

  2. rwylie
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Beijing is still failing to meet air quality standards set by the World Health Organisation, which it promised to uphold in 2001, whilst bidding for the Olympics.

The BBC tested air in the Chinese capital using a device which records the presence of airborne particles known as PM10's, which are emmitted by vehicles and facories. It was found that on 6 out of 7 days, the city's air "failed to meet the WHO's air quality standards". On one particular day, the reading was SEVEN times over the guideline level.

This news comes only a month before the start of the games: Beijing insists that "there is still time to get it right". The government is expected to take cars off the streets and shut down building sites in a bid to improve the siuation by the time thousands of spectators will descend on the city in August.

But if the citizens of Beijing have to live in this toxic air 24/7, shouldn't the WHO be concerned about what happens AFTER the games as well?
rwylie

29 responses // Beijing's air still not up to Olympic standard

  • What I don't get is why would we let a country like China host the Olympics? There is numerous evidence showing that a country like China does not represent the true meaning of the Olympics. Of course, I know this is all politics and business, but still... it saddens me to see that this country holds so much power and treats their citizens like crap. This is a good role model.
    omordn
    1 response to this
  • I am wondering what Country Lives up to its ideal of treating all people equal. Anyway, the air in south america is still worse, especially mexico city. It's not the tyrants you know about, it's the smoke and mirror tyrants that are the most dangerous. Clearly I am not defending China but they are an easy target; they are the target! People spend a bunch of time talking about China as they step over hungry homeless people to buy their next espresso. Charity starts at home. Let's get it right where we are before we speak about what people should do in far off lands. Oh, and China...GET THAT AIR FIXED :)
    TDubs
    2 responses to this
  • Construction and cars account for about 2/3 of Beijing's air pollution. Construction is still going at full speed, to finish everything before no one arrives for the Olympics. And they won't limit cars until the middle of the month. So yes, the air is still quite a disaster!
    sustainablejohn
  • China is really diminishing its elite "World Class" status, by irresponsibly hosting the Olympic Games. Taking into consideration the information discovered by the media, falsehoods of climate control, it's difficult to remain optimistic.
    KrebstarSB
  • that's gross
    furryjenn
  • I went there in 2005 and I never saw a completely clear sky; It was sunny and hot (like 45 degrees) but the sun was always really hazy. It's kind of surprising considering the number of people who use bikes, but I think sustainable john is right about the factories spewing out most of the nasty stuff.

    China is on the way up though and they ain't gonna listen to anyne who tells them to slow down!
    rwylie
  • We shouldn't be celebrating their country when they are oppressing so many people.
    huffamoose2k
  • Ditto TDubs -"It's not the tyrants you know about, it's the smoke and mirror tyrants that are the most dangerous"
    Mr_Costello
  • To think that Toronto (Canada) lost the Olympics to Beijing.
    Bravura
  • i wonder with the bad air...if the people that are playing in the olympics having a hard time breathing...it has to have some kinda effect
    OWNED1313
  • "But if the citizens of Beijing have to live in this toxic air 24/7, shouldn't the WHO be concerned about what happens AFTER the games as well?"

    You are absolutely right. As it is, China is stepping all over human rights in an effort to "clean up" it's act before the Olympics. I can only imagine the kind of tactics that will be used to remove cars from the streets prior to August.
    uroborus8
  • Lost the games over Toronto... hmm.

    Does anyone else get the feeling that the big boy world superpowers sat down and had a meeting where the words "let's see how bad they can eff this one up," were uttered multiple times.
    M_Pavlov
  • What do you expect with 1.3 Billion people in their country.
    huffamoose2k
  • Was there ever an "Olympic Standard Air?". Beijing's air was never up to human standards! Where the hell would the find room in Toronto for the Olympics? If anything they'd should've went to the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) which is the urban sprawl townships. Such as Markham, or Richmond Hill.
    ipodrulz
  • I spent some time in Beijing about 7 years ago and I doubt the situation has improved much since that time. And even back then there were times that I would go to bed with splitting headaches from the air I was breathing. And keeping in mind that at the time I was living in Seoul which boasts about 23 million people (Beijing is closer to 17 million) and never had a problem this is a real indictment of the Chinese governments inability to manage their pollution.

    Like many I was disappointed when Toronto, Canada was overlooked for Beijing and given all that has happened since it seems to me to have proven to be a big mistake. However, in my mind the air quality is a distance runner up in the list of reasons Beijing should never have been selected to host the Olympics. With their human rights record I can only think that history will group this years Olympics with the 1936 Berlin Olympics before any of the other years that come to mind (though in fairness this may be a little bit of a harsh comparison).
    meursault
  • Seems like the Olympic committee forgot to the check China's air quality before considering it the be host nation for the summer games.
    MrBigShot21
  • Look at it this way, now the athletes that are pumped up on steroids won't have the advantage!
    Audiogeek
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here and here
    If I were an Olympic athlete, I'd forgo this time around.
    stephenthomson
  • I was in China for over a month last year (August 2007). There was only 1 day where I actually saw the sky... and it was after a small monsoon ripped through the city.

    Anyhow, we know China does horrible things. However, as unideal as that country may be, there are countless countries around the world, who have hosted recent olympic games, just as corrupt. China is an easy target... booming economy, human rights issues, etc. However, we shouldn't be focused on one country just because it's in the world eye. The USA has some major issues with its government, same with Russia, and a boatload of middle eastern countries.
    Chheang
  • watch this comment being used here, here and here
    I am currently in Beijing and I concur.
    Several of my American friends have fallen extremely ill because of the air. One felt like his throat was closing up and was bed-ridden for several days. I can only see a biue sky just after it rains or if I am extremely lucky.
    That's China for you.
    lemonsun12
    2 responses to this
  • Have you gauged the opinion of your Chinese friends on China's enviromental policy?
    rwylie
  • And it wont be not even if they had until 2012
    ivxx
  • It is common knowledge by now, at least for anyone even paying the slightest attention, that the Chinese in control of their country have no respect for the health or wellbeing of any creature on the planet. An alternative conspiracy theory might be, "Let's put more pressure on China by spot lighting their abuses". (alternative to "let's see how bad they can eff this one up," from uroborus8)
    moonbabyprime
  • I think the reason why they allowed china to host the olympics was to put them under the eye of all the world and push them to make more and better advances in subjects such as, pollution, education, human rights, freedom of information and democracy.

    Thats why the tibetan government made his move this year.

    They have for sure made some improvements, but is really not enough, the chinese government don't want to give anything, they need something bigger to react. They don't need a push, they need a really good kick.
    mundosanto

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