air pollution

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Beijing Declares War&mdash;on BBQs
 Beijing Declares War—on BBQs
Nov 27, 2013 1:43 AM CST

Beijing Declares War—on BBQs

Grills blamed for city's pollution problem

(Newser) - Grilled lamb has become a scapegoat for Beijing's notorious air pollution, Reuters finds. Authorities say they have destroyed more than 500 open-air barbecues, which they claim seriously affects the city's air quality. State media showed photos of workers cutting apart the grills, many of which are operated by...

'Choking Smog' Shuts Down Huge Chinese City

Pollution reading way beyond dangerous level

(Newser) - The northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, population 11 million, has virtually shut down today thanks to air pollution; the smog is so heavy in places that you can't see beyond about 30 feet. It's this bad: "We were all late for class today because we couldn't...

It&#39;s Official: Air Pollution Causes Cancer
 It's Official: 
 Air Pollution 
 Causes Cancer 
says who agency
Oct 17, 2013 11:50 AM CDT

It's Official: Air Pollution Causes Cancer

WHO agency classifies it as carcinogen

(Newser) - What many commuters choking on smog have long suspected has finally been scientifically validated: air pollution causes lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer declared today that air pollution is a carcinogen, alongside known dangers such as asbestos, tobacco, and ultraviolet radiation. The decision came after a consultation...

Coal Pollution Burned 2.5B Years Off China Lifespans

Free coal blamed for huge north-south discrepancy

(Newser) - By giving free coal to everybody in the north of the country for decades, the Chinese government has inadvertently provided researchers with dramatic proof of the damage heavy air pollution does to health. A new study examining decades of data has found that life expectancy in southern China is 5....

Singapore: Indonesia Is Ruining Our Air

Hazardous haze now in Malaysia, too

(Newser) - The hazardous smog that choked Singapore late last week won't dissipate any time soon, says the nation's PM, and it has officials pointing a finger at Indonesia. The pollution, which could last for weeks, has apparently been brought on by illegal forest fires on Indonesia's Sumatra island,...

Growing Up Near Traffic Boosts Kids' Cancer Risk

Study indicates that kids suffer from living near exhaust

(Newser) - Living near traffic may be even worse for kids than previously believed, a new study suggests. California researchers ranked parts of the state based on their exhaust-related pollution, studied their populations, and found that kids from the more polluted areas were at a greater risk for certain childhood cancers, including...

EPA to Require Cleaner Gas Despite Big Oil's Objections

New rules will call for less sulfur in gasoline

(Newser) - Big oil's lobbyists have lost a fight over cleaner gasoline: The EPA will require refiners to reduce the amount of sulfur to cut down on smog, reports the Washington Post . The cut is a sizable one, dropping the allowable limit by two-thirds from 30 parts per million to 10....

Air Pollution Is Going to Be China's Biggest Export

William Pesek: This 'geopolitical headache' has dangerous implications

(Newser) - Home to 16 of the 20 dirtiest cities on Earth, some of the world's filthiest waters, and deadly, particulate-filled air, China is growing so polluted that it is threatening both the Communist Party's leadership at home and the quality of life around the region, writes William Pesek in...

Ozone Hole Smallest It's Been in a Decade

Chlorofluorocarbon ban appears to be improving Earth's ozone

(Newser) - One of the most infamous symbols of man's assault on the planet is actually diminishing: The ozone hole over Antarctica was smaller in 2012 than it has been in 10 years, reports LiveScience . Scientists credit the improvement to the worldwide ban on chlorofluorocarbons, which cause the hole to appear...

Beijing Pollution Off the Charts—Again

On scale that goes to 500, it registers 526

(Newser) - Once again , air pollution in Beijing is literally off the charts. It's gotten so bad that airlines have had to cancel flights as locals wear face masks for protection, and state news says it's difficult to see beyond 100 yards in sections of eastern China. Airborne particulate...

Beijing's Air Quality: On Scale of 500, It's 755

Pollution index sails way past 'hazardous'

(Newser) - If experiencing Tehran's dismal air pollution is "suicidal," Beijing residents might want to dig a bunker and stay there. The Chinese capital, which wrinkled noses a couple of years ago when it managed to break the very index meant to measure its air quality, yesterday blew right...

Tehran Pollution So Bad That Going Out Is 'Suicide'

City shuts down for days until winds pick up

(Newser) - When the potent mix of cold weather and windless days hits Tehran, so does pollution so thick that it shuts down buildings and stings the eyes and throat, prompting calls to stay indoors. Schools, banks, and government buildings were closed for five days last week in an effort to cut...

Consumer Reports Slams Ford Hybrids' Mileage

Test finds huge gap between EPA estimates and real figure

(Newser) - If the 47mpg rating on Ford's 2013 Fusion and C-Max models sounds too good to be true, well, there's a reason for that. The two hybrids perform drastically worse than advertised, Consumer Reports has concluded, clocking their actual performance at 39 mpg for the Fusion and 37 mpg...

EPA's New Soot Rules Pose Threat to Obama

11 states demanded action on air pollution, but others will likely be irked

(Newser) - The Obama administration didn't want to tighten air pollution regulations until after the election—but lawsuits from 11 states have forced its hand. The Environmental Protection Agency will today announce a proposal for stricter rules on allowable soot levels. Though a final decision won't come until December, the...

China Demands US Stop Tweeting About Its Air

They complain US standards unfair, and data may not be 'rigorous'

(Newser) - China isn't just happy censoring its own tweets anymore. China told foreign embassies today to stop publishing their own reports on air quality in the country, escalating its objections to a popular US Embassy Twitter feed that tracks pollution in smoggy Beijing. Only the Chinese government is authorized to...

China's Air Quality Data Suspiciously Sunny

Expert calls new data 'surprising'

(Newser) - The Chinese government, under fire from its citizens about its unbelievably upbeat pollution reports , has started to release more detailed data about smog in Beijing, reports the AP . For the first time, Beijing's official weather website yesterday included readings about PM2.5, or particulate matter less than 2.5...

Cynical Chinese Taking Own Smog Readings

Rail against government's 'fog' label

(Newser) - The Chinese know smog when they see it—even when the government calls it "fog." So Beijing citizens are taking their own pollution readings. "If people know what their air is like, they are more likely to take action," said a researcher at an environmental group...

Traffic Jams: Poison for the Brain

Researchers fear fumes are causing permanent brain damage

(Newser) - This is your brain ... on traffic fumes? A growing body of research suggests that fumes from traffic jams can damage the brain, as well as your lungs. Exposure to exhaust has a negative effect on brain power and emotional stability, and while the evidence is largely circumstantial, researchers tell the...

EPA Set to Loosen New Pollution Rules

10 states could face less stringent limits on emissions

(Newser) - The EPA finalized a new rule to curb industrial pollution this summer; three months later, the agency has proposed to loosen the restrictions in 10 of 27 affected states. The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, meant to cut power-plant emissions that can blow across state lines, has faced sharp criticism from...

President Obama Dumps New Smog Rules in Surprise Win for Businesses
 Obama Dumps 
 New Smog Rules 
Sep 2, 2011 11:28 AM CDT

Obama Dumps New Smog Rules

He says standard will change anyway in 2013

(Newser) - Barack Obama handed the business community a surprise win today by asking the Environmental Protection Agency to scrap new smog standards that would force state and local government to improve air quality or risk losing federal funds, the Washington Post reports. "Work is already underway to update … the...

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