China pollution levels hit 20 times safe limit<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nVisibility dropped dramatically as small pollutant particles reached dangerous levels in northern China\u2019s Hebei province<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
\n<\/div>\n\nDays of heavy smog shrouding swathes of northern\u00a0China<\/a>\u00a0pushed pollution to more than 20 times safe levels on Friday, despite government promises to tackle environmental blight.<\/p>\nVisibility dropped dramatically as measures of small pollutant particles known as PM2.5, which can embed themselves deep in the lungs, reached more than 500 micrograms per cubic metre in parts of Hebei, a province bordering Beijing.<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization\u2019s guideline for maximum healthy exposure is 25.<\/p>\n
In the capital, buildings were obscured by a thick haze, with PM2.5 levels in the city staying above 300 micrograms per cubic metre since Wednesday afternoon and authorities issuing an \u201corange\u201d alert.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very worrying, the main worry is my health,\u201d said a 28-year-old marketing worker surnamed Hu, carrying an anti-smog mask decorated with a pink pig\u2019s nose as she walked in central Beijing.<\/p>\n![\"Smog](\"http:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-620\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/10\/10\/1412927994840\/a660f85a-5a73-4668-a3ab-75f3c350a3fb-620x372.jpeg\")
<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>Smog shrouds Shijiazhuang on 9 October, 2014 in China. Thick smog shrouded areas of North China on Thursday, reducing visibility and raising air pollution in the area.\u00a0Photograph: Xinhua \/Landov \/ Barcroft Media\/Xinhua \/Landov \/ Barcroft Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nChina has for years been hit by heavy air pollution, caused by enormous use of coal to generate electricity to power a booming economy<\/a>, and more vehicles on the roads.<\/p>\nBut public discontent about the environment has grown, leading the government to declare a\u00a0\u201cwar on pollution\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and vow to cut coal use in some areas.<\/p>\nNonetheless poor air quality has persisted with officials continuing to focus on economic growth, and lax enforcement of environmental regulations remains rife.<\/p>\n
In a sign of growing environmental activism, Greenpeace East Asia projected the message \u201cBlue Sky Now!\u201d on to a facade of the Drum Tower, a historic building north of the Forbidden City.<\/p>\n
Visibility dropped dramatically as small pollutant particles reached dangerous levels in northern China\u2019s Hebei province<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
Days of heavy smog shrouding swathes of northern\u00a0China<\/a>\u00a0pushed pollution to more than 20 times safe levels on Friday, despite government promises to tackle environmental blight.<\/p>\n Visibility dropped dramatically as measures of small pollutant particles known as PM2.5, which can embed themselves deep in the lungs, reached more than 500 micrograms per cubic metre in parts of Hebei, a province bordering Beijing.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization\u2019s guideline for maximum healthy exposure is 25.<\/p>\n In the capital, buildings were obscured by a thick haze, with PM2.5 levels in the city staying above 300 micrograms per cubic metre since Wednesday afternoon and authorities issuing an \u201corange\u201d alert.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very worrying, the main worry is my health,\u201d said a 28-year-old marketing worker surnamed Hu, carrying an anti-smog mask decorated with a pink pig\u2019s nose as she walked in central Beijing.<\/p>\n China has for years been hit by heavy air pollution, caused by enormous use of coal to generate electricity to power a booming economy<\/a>, and more vehicles on the roads.<\/p>\n But public discontent about the environment has grown, leading the government to declare a\u00a0\u201cwar on pollution\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and vow to cut coal use in some areas.<\/p>\n Nonetheless poor air quality has persisted with officials continuing to focus on economic growth, and lax enforcement of environmental regulations remains rife.<\/p>\n In a sign of growing environmental activism, Greenpeace East Asia projected the message \u201cBlue Sky Now!\u201d on to a facade of the Drum Tower, a historic building north of the Forbidden City.<\/p>\n<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n