Air Pollution In ChinaAir Pollution In China

Richard Saint Cyr MD DABFPRichard Saint Cyr MD DABFPMyHealthBeijing.comMyHealthBeijing.com

About Me…About Me…

I am a family medicine doctor, from AmericaI am a family medicine doctor, from America I work at International Medical CenterI work at International Medical Center My health website: MyHealthBeijing.comMy health website: MyHealthBeijing.com

Let’s Review Pollution…Let’s Review Pollution…

The Common Air PollutantsThe Common Air Pollutants

Particulates (PM10, PM2.5)Particulates (PM10, PM2.5) Nitric oxide/dioxide Nitric oxide/dioxide

– – cars, coal. cars, coal.

Sulfur dioxideSulfur dioxide– Coal. Causes acid rain; Improving wellCoal. Causes acid rain; Improving well

OzoneOzone– usually from NO2; formed mostly on hot summer daysusually from NO2; formed mostly on hot summer days

Carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide– carscars

The worst one is:The worst one is:small particlessmall particles

These Are Very Small…These Are Very Small…

Short Movie on Small ParticlesShort Movie on Small Particles

http://http://www.epa.gov/airnow/pm/pm.htmlwww.epa.gov/airnow/pm/pm.html

It Can Get Bad in Beijing…It Can Get Bad in Beijing…

…But it can be a lot worse, like London in 1952!

The Great London Smog of 1952The Great London Smog of 1952

It was a bad combo of cold weather + more It was a bad combo of cold weather + more coal burning + inversion layer of air…coal burning + inversion layer of air…

= disaster for 5 days…= disaster for 5 days…– pollution at 3,000-14,000! (Beijing is usually pollution at 3,000-14,000! (Beijing is usually

~140)~140)– 12,000 premature deaths12,000 premature deaths– 100,000 illnesses100,000 illnesses

Many People Died From PollutionMany People Died From Pollution

Australia Dust Storm, 2009Australia Dust Storm, 2009

Australia Dust Storm, 2009Australia Dust Storm, 2009

Seven years of low rainfallSeven years of low rainfall Particle levels reached Particle levels reached

15,400 ug/m3 (a lot higher 15,400 ug/m3 (a lot higher than in Beijing)than in Beijing)

What happened? More What happened? More asthma attacks and asthma attacks and Emergency Room visitsEmergency Room visits

How Does Pollution Affect How Does Pollution Affect Health?Health?

Why Is Pollution Bad?Why Is Pollution Bad?

Worse pollution = more diseaseWorse pollution = more disease– CancersCancers– Heart attacksHeart attacks– BronchitisBronchitis– Worse asthmaWorse asthma– Harder to get over a coldHarder to get over a cold

Short term and long term problems!Short term and long term problems!

Children Are At Worse Risk!Children Are At Worse Risk!

Lungs aren’t as strong as adults, so…Lungs aren’t as strong as adults, so…– More bronchitis and coldsMore bronchitis and colds– More doctor visitsMore doctor visits– New babies can weigh lessNew babies can weigh less– Childhood cancers are higherChildhood cancers are higher– Asthma can be worseAsthma can be worse

So What About So What About China?China?

Only 1% of China’s cities have safe air Only 1% of China’s cities have safe air (Safe = Particle levels under 40ug/m3)(Safe = Particle levels under 40ug/m3)

The Main Issues In ChinaThe Main Issues In China

Every year in China:Every year in China:– ~300,000 premature deaths~300,000 premature deaths– 20 million cases of lung illness20 million cases of lung illness

What Are The Main Causes?What Are The Main Causes?– CoalCoal– CarsCars– FactoriesFactories– Indoor cooking/heating with wood and coalIndoor cooking/heating with wood and coal

Where Is It Worst?Where Is It Worst?

Most Polluted Cities in ChinaMost Polluted Cities in China

World Cities & PM10 Levels (2004-World Cities & PM10 Levels (2004-5)5)

WHOWHO

ChinaChina

USUS

Beijing

More About That Graph…More About That Graph…

Beijing’s PM10, at 150ug/m3, was over 7 Beijing’s PM10, at 150ug/m3, was over 7 times the WHO cutoff of 20times the WHO cutoff of 20

Out of 108 China cities monitored by MEP, Out of 108 China cities monitored by MEP, nonenone met the WHO cutoff met the WHO cutoff– Guilin was best in China (29 ug/m3)Guilin was best in China (29 ug/m3)– Beijing 4th worst in ChinaBeijing 4th worst in China

How Is Pollution How Is Pollution Monitored?Monitored?

Beijing City Has Over 20 MonitorsBeijing City Has Over 20 Monitors

Puts Info On WebsitePuts Info On Website

About That Website…About That Website…

Data is not real time (is the average Data is not real time (is the average from the day before, from all from the day before, from all stations)stations)

So, you don’t know how your So, you don’t know how your neighborhood is neighborhood is right nowright now

What can you do?What can you do? There’s a better website!There’s a better website!

Pollution Website: iphone.bjair.infoPollution Website: iphone.bjair.info

Data is from the Data is from the US Embassy in US Embassy in BeijingBeijing

What Numbers Are Bad?What Numbers Are Bad?

Schools Should Have Action Plans!Schools Should Have Action Plans!

School Action Plan: OK DaysSchool Action Plan: OK Days

School Action Plans: Moderate DaysSchool Action Plans: Moderate Days

Worst Days…Worst Days…

In Other Words:In Other Words:

Anything over 200 = NO Anything over 200 = NO OUTDOOR SCHOOL OUTDOOR SCHOOL ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

What Does What Does YourYour School Do?School Do?

Let’s Play A Game…Let’s Play A Game…

AQI Game Show: AQI Game Show: http://www.epa.gov/airnow/aqikids/games/hhttp://www.epa.gov/airnow/aqikids/games/health/game.htmlealth/game.html

Don’t Forget Don’t Forget Indoor Air!Indoor Air!

Indoor Plants Help!Indoor Plants Help!

Indoor PlantsIndoor Plants

Areca PalmAreca Palm  (( 风尾竹风尾竹 , , fengfeng(4)(4)weiwei(3)(3)zhuzhu(2), about RMB (2), about RMB 180 each) - 180 each) - – Efficiently converts CO2 to oxygen. Efficiently converts CO2 to oxygen.

Mother-in-Law TongueMother-in-Law Tongue  (( 虎皮兰虎皮兰 , , huhu(3)(3)pipi(2)(2)lanlan(2), about (2), about RMB 50 each) RMB 50 each) – Efficiently converts CO2 to oxygen at night and is Efficiently converts CO2 to oxygen at night and is – Good forGood for bedrooms. bedrooms.

Money Plant Money Plant  （绿萝（绿萝 , , lvlv(4)(4)luoluo(2), about RMB 150 each(2), about RMB 150 each ） ） – Removes formaldehydes and other volatile chemicals.Removes formaldehydes and other volatile chemicals.

What About Masks?What About Masks?

Kouzhao(Kouzhao( 口罩口罩 ) Don’t Do ) Don’t Do Much…Much…

Surgical Masks Are Better…Surgical Masks Are Better…

N95 Masks Are Best!N95 Masks Are Best!

The Best MasksThe Best Masks(smaller bar is better!)(smaller bar is better!)

N95 trap 96% (best!)N95 trap 96% (best!)

Surgical masks Surgical masks trap 80%trap 80%

Kouzhao trap 28%Kouzhao trap 28%

When Should You Wear a Mask?When Should You Wear a Mask?

Anytime the pollution level is over 200Anytime the pollution level is over 200– Especially if you have asthma, or are sick!Especially if you have asthma, or are sick!– Long bike ridesLong bike rides– Playing outside for more than an hourPlaying outside for more than an hour

Let’s Review With Another Game…Let’s Review With Another Game…

Smog City: Smog City: http://www.smogcity2.org/smogcity.cfm?prehttp://www.smogcity2.org/smogcity.cfm?preset=particleset=particle

Thank You!Thank You!