Lin Min

    THE vast differences between the air quality readings released by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the capital’s environment watchdog have shed light on China’s outdated air quality standards, which do not include the smog-related fine particles known as PM2.5 (airborne particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter).

    The current index covers only PM10, bigger particles that unlike PM2.5, cannot penetrate the lungs and other organs. Therefore it is not surprising that last month, when the official Beijing index showed the air to be “slightly polluted,” the embassy reading, which measures PM2.5, indicated a dangerous “beyond index” level. PM2.5 is believed to pose greater health risks than bigger particles and can cause serious respiratory problems and even lung cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which recommends the inclusion of PM2.5 in air quality indexes.

    The WHO said as early as 2006 that in the European Union, the smallest particulate matter (PM2.5) alone caused an estimated loss of statistical life expectancy of 8.6 months for the average European. With the absence of the crucial data on PM2.5, China’s current air quality index no longer makes sense to both policymakers and the general public, and fails to serve as an alarm to the dangers lurking around us.

    Following public outcry over the discrepancies between the readings by the U.S. Embassy and Beijing authorities, China’s environment ministry last week released revised draft rules for public consultation, which add PM2.5 to measure air quality nationwide. It announced that the new rules would be implemented in 2016. Although this is a positive step, the implementation schedule apparently has disappointed many people who want to know as soon as possible the real quality of the air we are breathing.

    With car and truck exhaust being a major source of fine particulate pollution, misleading air quality indexes enable “feel-good” policymakers to remain complacent without taking efforts to curb an increase in vehicle numbers. And without PM2.5 data available to the public, motorists are not aware they are contributing to the high level of fine particles, which pose a health hazard to themselves. Knowing the truth is the first step for authorities and citizens to take the necessary steps.

    The ministry said it would urge local governments to voluntarily adopt the new rules earlier. Shenzhen should be one of them. Aspiring to be an international city, Shenzhen definitely should show its air pollution standards are in line with international practice.

    (The author is editor of the Shenzhen Daily News Desk.)