Pollution Levels Sharply Rise in Beijing
May 28, 2008 by Jeanne Dupuis
Filed under Sports Rumors
The 2008 Summer Olympic Games are just two months away and the host city is still dealing with problems related to air quality. Yesterday, pollution levels rose so sharply in Beijing that authorities told people with respiratory disorders to remain indoors. Apparently, there was a a sandstorm in Mongolia that resulted in a “heavily polluted” rating for the air in the nation’s capital.
This isn’t the first time the issue has caused some to be concerned. In an effort to curb pollution, Beijing has opted to close down factories and construction work during the Games but it’s not enough for some athletes. Two-time Olympic champion, Haile Gebrselassie, has opted out of the men’s marathon since he suffers from asthma and is not willing to take the risk.
Honestly, I’m not against the Games being held in Beijing but I think any host city should have to meet minimum standards in order to be approved by the IOC and I just don’t think it’s acceptable to have a “wait-and-see” attitude about something so important. If a country is serious about hosting the Olympics, they will begin making the necessary changes before putting in their bid. Otherwise, you end up with potential last-minute disasters like this. I think China should have had their pollution problems well under control before they were even considered. What do you think?
image provided by newscom
It’s not pleasant with the weather warming up. It’s going to be tough for competitors in the endurance events.
Air pollution in China is a mixture of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, E Coli from sewage which is airborne and untreated, arsenic, oxides of nitric, sulfuric, fluorinated waste products from the chemical industry and of course lead, cadmium, thallium, antimony,boron,etc and military radioactive waste from activities west and north of China that blow east over the cities. Unlike Iraqi with spent uranium shells the alpha particles from spent military shell mixes with the soil, sand and is blown for everyone to breathe. Once in your lungs you have 25 years of life left. Alpha radiation once it enters into the lungs starts to do damage.