US Embassy Categorizes Beijing Air Quality As 'Crazy Bad'

Posted by samzenpus on Sunday November 21, 2010 @05:21AM from the it-totally-sucks dept.

digitaldc writes "Pollution in Beijing was so bad Friday the US embassy, which has been independently monitoring air quality, ran out of conventional adjectives to describe it, at one point saying it was 'crazy bad.' The embassy later deleted the phrase, saying it was an 'incorrect' description and it would revise the language to use when the air quality index goes above 500, its highest point and a level considered hazardous for all people by US standards. The hazardous haze has forced schools to stop outdoor exercises, and health experts asked residents, especially those with respiratory problems, the elderly and children, to stay indoors."

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Re:Atlanta by timeOday · 2010-11-21 06:41 · Score: 5, Informative

Last year the Air Quality Index in Atlanta reached the level of "Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups" (100-150) on 16 days, and never reached the next level, "Unhealthy" (150-200). Beijing's score - over 500 - sounds very bad indeed.