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Untitled2013 Harbin smogFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search2013 Harbin smog Harbin dot.pngLocation of HarbinDate 21 October 2013Location Harbin, ChinaCasualtiesNone reported

A dense wave of smog began in the Chinese city of Harbin and thesurrounding Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces on 20 October 2013.Unseasonably warm temperatures[citation needed] with very little windacross northeastern China coincided with the initiation of Harbin'scoal-powered municipal heating system. Record densities of fineparticulates were measured in the city. In Harbin, the airport andkindergarten through middle schools were closed for three days. Allhighways in Heilongjiang were closed.

In Harbin, the levels of PM2.5 particulate matter rose to 1,000 microgramsper cubic metre, worse than Beijing's historic highs. Visibility dropped to50 metres (160 ft) and authorities grounded flights and closed more than2,000 schools.[1] The smog cloud dissipated on October 25, 2013 due to acold front moving in from Russia.Contents

BackgroundSmog (grey) and fog (white) cloak northeast China on 21 October 2013Satellite: smog (grey) and fog (white) cloak northeast China on 21 October2013.Ddetail showing position of Harbin in the haze (NASA)Detail showing position of Harbin in the haze (NASA)Smog in Harbin, China in December 2012Smog in Harbin in December 2012

Officials blamed the dense pollution on lack of wind, burning of crop wastein farmers' fields, and the 20 October[2] start-up of Harbin's coal-powereddistrict heating system.[3] Harbin lies in the north of China where wintertemperatures can drop to 40 C (40 F), necessitating a six-month heatingseason.[4]

Air pollution in Chinese cities is of increasing concern to China'sleadership.[5] Particulates in the air can adversely affect human healthand also have impacts on climate and precipitation. Pollution from theburning of coal has reduced life expectancies by 5.5 years in the north ofChina, as a result of heart and lung diseases.[6]Effects

All highways in the surrounding Heilongjiang province were closed.[7] InHarbin, all primary and middle schools and the airport were closed forthree days.[8][9]

Hospitals reported a 23 percent increase in admissions for respiratoryproblems.[10]

Visibility was reduced to below 50 m (160 ft) in parts of Harbin, and below500 m (1,600 ft) in most of the neighboring Jilin province.[11] On Fa YuenStreet in Harbin, visibility of less than 5 m (16 ft) was reported.[2]

Daily particulate levels of more than 40 times the World HealthOrganization recommended maximum level were reported in parts of Harbinmunicipality.[12] The smog remained as of 23 October, when "almost allmonitoring stations in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces reportedreadings above 200 [g/m] for PM2.5".[13] PM2.5 is the amount ofparticulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter in the air, withthe World Health Organization recommending a maximum 24-hour mean of 25

micrograms per cubic meter (g/m).[14] On the morning of 23 October, PM2.5measurements in Harbin had fallen to an average of 123 g/m.[9]

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