Killed In Massive Vehicle Pileup In China Due To Heavy Smog

Chinese researchers have identified pollution as a major source of unrest around the country and President Xi Jinping is in Paris at the COP-21 climate summit pushing for concrete action which helps explain the government’s public posturing in response to unhealthy air quality.

The smog has persisted despite the Chinese government’s stated priority of cleaning up the legacy of pollution left from years of full-tilt economic growth.

Schools were advised to close, but some were choosing to stay open if they felt they had adequate air filtration systems.

Beijing education authorities ordered kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes as a familiar pea soup haze engulfed the streets and rendered more distant skyscrapers invisible. They needed to travel relatively far, however, because almost all of China’s northeast was affected, and many cities – including nearby Shijiazhuang – were even worse than Beijing. A man who was identified only as Du said that he enjoyed the haziness from the smog.

Some polluting enterprises, including a stone processing factory and several clothing workshops, continued to operate on Tuesday after a red alert, the highest level, was issued in the morning.

Some businesses closed and others said employees could work from home for the duration.

“I like this kind of haziness”.

Tough restrictions come into force today in Beijing which has issued its first ever red alert for pollution. The index is closely linked to levels of PM2.5, although it also includes other pollutants.

Five days of steadily worsening pollution cut visibility within some parts of Beijing to 300 feet or less and delayed many flights into the city’s main airport, prompting Beijing’s Office of Emergency Management to issue the red alert.

Beijing hotel staffer Fan Jinglong said the smog forecast was “really worrisome”.

But according to BBC, only a week ago it was much worse than this, as that same index read figures around 40 times greater than WHO’s threshold.

“This measure reflects that the government, at least, has the courage to face this problem”, said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Chinese environmental group, referring to the red alert.

China’s polluted air has had severe health effects.

“China understood they have a problem and they need to deal with it”, Kerry said.

In the northern city of Taiyuan, six people were killed and four injured in a 33-vehicle pileup on a highway cloaked in smog, the Xinhua said.

China is the world’s top consumer of coal but has also become a leader in renewable energy, with rapid expansion of wind and solar power.