China Cities to Report Live Air Quality Data

ChinaDaily USA reports that 87 Chinese cities will begin releasing hourly updates on air quality from New Year’s Day, taking the total number doing so to 161, the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced.  Data from 449 monitoring stations across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta will provide real-time updates on levels of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and PM2.5 — particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter that can damage the lungs. The move is a response to complaints by experts and citizens about pollution, ministry spokesman Tao Detian said.