One Year From Beijing Olympics, City's Filthy Smog In Place Now For Weeks

[hatrack]

As the clock ticks towards one year out from the Beijing Olympic Games, a thick blanket of haze wedged over the capital for several weeks is casting a polluted shadow over countdown celebrations. International Olympic Committee officials have repeatedly warned that bad air quality is one of the biggest threats to the success of the 2008 Games, and authorities are working overtime to ensure blue skies during the event.

The government will next week take one million cars off the city's roads for a fortnight to test-run one of its most important tactics in engineering a sudden, temporary lifting of the pollution for Olympic athletes and visitors. Building work will also be restricted next year, artificial rain may be induced to clear the air, and many of Beijing's biggest polluting factories will by then have been moved out of the capital.

But the pollution haze that has been hanging over Beijing for weeks ahead of next week's August 8 one-year countdown illustrates the enormity of tackling the problem.

EDIT

Surrounding provinces and cities, which all follow the same economic model that has made China one of the most polluted countries in the world, could blow a dark cloud over Beijing's Olympic party. "Several lines of evidence are now converging on the idea that roughly half of Beijing's air pollution comes from outside it. At the height of typical (pollution) episodes, that figure is higher," he said.

EDIT

http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/administration/afp-news.html?id=070731025017.fwj7933z&cat=null

[CottonBear]

1. Knowing what we do now about China's completely polluted envrionment, food chain and products

what athlete would want to go there and risk breathing, drinking and eating much less exercising outdoors?

I would assume that most teams will ship in supplies and food, water and medicines from abroad.

[hatrack]

2. Australia's team is bringing an asthma/respiratory specialist

Sensible precaution, don't you think?

[CottonBear]

5. Yikes!

:scared:

[kestrel91316]

3. Why would we want to support their economy by going there for the

Olympics (or any other reason)?? They are now the world's biggest polluters, IIRC. They need to clean up their act (and, BTW, stop putting poisons in food).

[CottonBear]

4. I'm sure the Olympic committee is refretting choosing China now.

I would not want to visit China. I beleive that it is now the world's most polluted country.