Breath of fresh air as pollution at record low
For the first time, Shanghai’s air quality was excellent or good last year on over 80 percent of days, according to a report issued by Shanghai Bureau of Ecology and Environment on Tuesday.
The average densities of PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 were all new lows since air quality standards were introduced in 2013.
Favorable meteorological condition and decreased pollutant transfer from other parts of the country were the major reasons behind the improvements.
According to the report, Shanghai had 296 days (81.1 percent) in 2018 with AQI below 100 — 5.8 percent better than 2017. There were only three heavily polluted days (AQI over 200).
The average density of PM2.5 pollutant particles was 36 micrograms per cubic meter last year — a 7.7 percent drop. The average density of PM10 was 51 micrograms per cubic meter, a 7.3 decrease. The figures for SO2 and NO2 were 10 and 42 micrograms per cubic meter, down 16.7 percent and 4.5 percent respectively.
Ozone density met the official standard on 90 percent of days last year.
“We mostly have the weather to thank for air quality last year,” said Shou Ziqi, director of the bureau. Typhoons helped to ease ozone pollution, as well as the accumulation of local pollutants. Less pollutants were carried south thanks to favorable wind directions.
Shanghai has a target of bringing average density of PM2.5 below 35 micrograms per cubic meter by 2022, the national standard. The World Health Organization’s standard is 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
Also, heavily polluted days (AQI over 200) should be a thing of the past by 2020. In 2013 there were a total of 23 heavily polluted days.
