After heavy air pollution brought life to a standstill for the second time this smog season in northeast China, and with the one-year anniversary of last winter’s “Airpocalypse” in Beijing approaching, AP reports that the capital city is targeting open-air barbecues in the fight against particulate matter:
Beijing is waging a war against air pollution, one barbecue at a time.
Authorities in the capital have destroyed more than 500 open-air barbecues “to cut PM2.5” — the tiny particulate matter in the air that can enter deep into the lungs.
Photos carried by state media showed workers on Tuesday cutting pieces of metal with sparks flying as city wardens looked on.
Citizens online ridiculed the exercise, suggesting authorities should focus on bigger sources of pollution. [Source]
In October, Beijing’s municipal government announced an emergency response plan that will kick in if air pollution is forecasted to be “severe” for three consecutive days.
