Earlier this year, there were concerns that air pollution in Beijing would be a serious threat to athletes participating in outdoor events, especially running, and cycling. In fact I wrote several posts in the Spring that highlighted this issue that you read, and find out what were the concerns.

China’s Olympic committee indicated that a number of policies were going to enacted to reduce pollution in the city; allowing cars to drive into the city of an odd/even (licence plate) plan; shutting plants down for the several months, almost insisting on public transportation, etc.

According to Chinese officials as reported in China News, the air quality in Beijing has been at its lowest levels in ten years.  Using Beijing’s Air Pollution Index (API), it was reported that the API for the first 18 days of the events averaged 51, when according to this report, the average has been 81. The API can range from 0 to 500.  A score under 100 would be, according to the Chinese, a “blue-sky” day.

The Beijing Sky on one of the days of the 2008 Olympics.

According to officials, some of the efforts to reduce air pollution will be continued to help contribute to cleaner air in this city of 16 million people. It would be an interesting project to monitor the air in Beijing over the next year or so.

In an interesting blog, an environmental engineer from Atlanta reported on the air quality for the duration of the games while he was there in Beijing.  He summarized the data in the graph which did show that Beijing did keep its air below 100, in the blue sky range.

API for Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games

Official reports need to be tempered with reports on the ground by visitors to the Olympics, as well as the athletes themselves.  In a report posted on Oregonlive.com, the reporter did claim that the air in Bejing was better than previous experiences, but that it still appeared polluted, with the brownish-gray haze in the sky.  One American environmental scientist on the ground in Beijing reported that the air pollution in Beijing is six times higher than what it was in Atlanta during the 1996 Games.

During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the air quality also improved because of the implementation of similar efforts as were implemented in Beijing.  In a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, modification in transportation during the 1996 Olympics did reduce the number of ashma acute care events in Atlanta.

Atlanta still has a serious air pollution problem.  Starting in March, one can read on the highway electronic signs warning citizens that the ozone will exceed safe limits, and to limit outdoor activity.  China has a huge challenge in trying to continue its air pollution success acheived during these Games.