Beijing Says Traffic Measures Cut Emissions By 20%

An official at the capital's environmental regulator has shrugged off the notion of wearing masks in Beijing for fear of poor air quality, saying masks would simply "add weight to visitors' luggage."

Du Shaozhong, deputy director with the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, told a press conference here on Friday that major air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter from vehicles have dropped by 20 percent in Beijing year-on-year, thanks to vehicle restrictions for the Olympics.

He said 22 of the first 25 days in July were "blue sky" days, or days with fairly good air quality.

"It's just a beginning, but the improvement is fairly obvious," Du said.

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Comments

[PlasticSpoon]

These regulations mean nothing - a friend of mine whose parents live in Beijing can only drive 3 days out of the week due to their license plate number beginning with an odd number - you want to know how they manage to drive 7 days out of the week - they purchased a new car... the license plate issued begins with an even number, so now they just switch cars every other day.

[mediamarv]

Lies, lies and more lies.

The american media is in for a shock once the Olympics get under way. They are such naive children and the whole world is going to see just how true that is..
I can't wait.

[Jonahson]

It is a good measurement of how much vehicle emission affect air quality in a large city but where did the other 80% come from?

[joebaggadonuts]

I am glad they are doing it. I hope it causes a groundswell of pressure to keep doing it and to do it better and more. If a Communist nation that controls what it wants to can't do it, what hope is there for the rest of the world?

It's a little surprising that it's only 20% better. Emission controls have to be used to do better. They should be looking at other point sources, open fires and chimneys, etc. LA did it, Bejing surely should be able to do it. Bejing has the additional benefit of being able to force electrical producers using coal fired plants to install pollution control equipment. They have not done this effectively yet and this really bothers me as their coal fires drop soot around the world.

[LeftLeanWing]

I saw an Elephant that loss 20% of it's weight ; it was the size of a Rhino.

[Merckx]

So now rather than dying 10 years sooner due to breathing the air there, you will only die 8 years earlier.