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Creeping smog put a damper on Lantern Festival celebrations on February 24， made worse by thick fog shrouding most parts of north and east China that lowered visibility to under 1，000 meters. Traditionally， the Lantern Festival， celebrated on the 15th day of the first month in the Chinese calendar， marks the end of celebrations for the Spring Festival， or the Lunar New Year， which fell on February 10 this year.
Prolonged smog has tormented Chinese people in the early part of 2013. In the first month of the year， Beijing experienced 25 smoggy days， 13 more than the average of the same period over the previous 10 years.
The average density of PM2.5 tiny airborne matter in January was 180 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing， about 30 percent higher than the same period between 2009 and 2011， according to official data. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less in diameter. It is extremely hazardous to respiratory and cardiovascular systems， especially among children and the elderly.
Furthermore， recent research by the Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS） found a large amount of organic nitrogen compounds in the recent smog that engulfed Beijing and nearby cities. The chemicals are believed to have been major components in London’s Great Smog in 1952 and the photochemical smog in Los Angeles from 1940 to 1950.
In the wake of the serious situation， authorities and the public have begun to take action.
A ‘greener’ festival
For the first time， Xu Xiliang decided to push aside the idea of setting off fireworks to celebrate the Spring Festival with family. In the past eight years since 2005， when Beijing lifted a 12-year-long firework ban， the 36-year-old Beijinger spent more than 1，000 yuan （$161） for fireworks each year.
“I haven’t experienced so many smoggy days in the past. I hope my efforts can contribute to easing the problem，” Xu said.
Chinese people ring in the Lunar New Year with a huge amount of firecrackers and airborne fireworks. Custom dictates that the loud noises and vibrant sparks ward off evil spirits and bad luck.
The pyrotechnic spree is always accompanied by a rise in pollution and a spate of accidents including burns and fires.
According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection， during the weeklong Spring Festival holiday from February 9 to 15， PM2.5 readings skyrocketed in many Chinese cities， indicating worsened air quality attributed to fireworks. Of the 74 cities that had applied a more comprehensive air quality monitoring standard and published daily reports on PM2.5 by the end of 2012， 42.7 percent reported excessive readings during the Spring Festival holiday.
The highest average single-day reading reached 426 micrograms per cubic meter， nearly 5.7 times the country’s standard of 75 micrograms per cubic meter， the ministry said.
Fortunately， more people like Xu realized the severity of the problem and looked to celebrate the holiday in a more environmentally sound fashion by setting off fewer fireworks.
As a result， the sales of fireworks dropped significantly around the country.
In Beijing， a total of 313，000 cartons of fireworks were sold from February 9 to 14， down by 45 percent from the 564，000 cartons sold during last year’s Spring Festival， according to statistics from the Office on Fireworks and Firecrackers of the Beijing Municipal Government.
In a report by The Beijing Times， a spokes- man for the Beijing Fireworks Co. was quoted as saying that its sales had plunged 30 percent. A fireworks salesman in Taiyuan， north China’s Shanxi Province， reported an identical decline in holiday sales.
Meanwhile， less fireworks refuse was collected.
According to official statistics， sanitation workers in Beijing cleared 5，283 tons of fireworks waste during the Spring Festival holiday， 332 tons less than last year.
In Shanghai， the amount of Lunar New Year’s Eve fireworks refuse decreased to 700 tons this year from 970 tons in 2012， according to the municipal sanitation department.
Apart from ordinary residents， government officials also seized the opportunity to promote environmentally friendly behavior. The Beijing Municipal Government sent the city’s residents text messages reminding them to set off fewer fireworks this year. It also issued a “fireworks index”that indicated whether outdoor conditions are suitable for fireworks.
Meanwhile， Beijing also reduced the number of franchised firework shops to 1，337 from last year’s 1，429. Only 750，000 cartons of fireworks were put on sale this year， down from 810，000 in 2012.
An annual holiday fireworks show in Guangzhou， south China’s Guangdong Province， was halted this year in order to reduce air pollution and cut government expenditures. The show last year cost 10 million yuan （$1.61 million）， or nearly 10 percent of the city’s total annual budget， to be put on last year. Cities including Luoyang and Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province and Haikou in south China’s Hainan Province also canceled their routine fireworks shows on the Lantern Festival on February 24.
While flammable fireworks are gradually abandoned， electronic fireworks have gained some popularity with people who wish to celebrate the holiday but are hesitant to purchase traditional fireworks.
Electronic fireworks， which comprise of light bulbs and a speaker in the “detonator” to mimic blasts， imitate traditional varieties of firecrackers， yet do not contribute to air pollution nor leave behind any debris.
According to an electronic fireworks retailer in Beijing， this year has seen a surge in sales.
They first hit the Chinese market a decade ago， but have struggled for popularity until this year， when smog blanketed more than 30 cities in central and eastern parts of China in January and calls were made to limit the use of flammable fireworks.
Figures from Taobao.com， China’s biggest e-commerce website， showed that the sales volume for electronic fireworks in the week before the Spring Festival went up by 271.3 percent compared to the same period last year.
“Setting off fireworks during the Spring Festival is a Chinese tradition. We should ensure this tradition lives on，” said Gao Wei， a folklore expert and Director of the Beijing Society of History and Geography.
“Electronic fireworks and other alternatives are good ideas that keep the tradition alive in an environmentally friendly way，” Gao said， suggesting the government should organize more fireworks shows that are professionally arranged and discourage the public sale of fireworks to reduce the risk of accidents.
Cutting emissions
Although many Chinese have discussed the problem posed by maintaining the celebratory fireworks custom in the face of air pollution problems， many others think more deep-rooted problems need to be tackled to reduce smog.
According to the CAS， the prolonged smog in China in the past two months was caused by a combination of intensive coal burning， car emissions， cooking pollutants and a particular weather pattern that creates an inversion layer over low-lying cities.
Among the factors， car emissions were blamed for nearly a quarter of Beijing’s PM2.5， and coal burning contributed to 20 percent， according to the CAS， which suggested greater efforts to reduce emissions from diesel-powered cars and raise fuel quality. In the wake of pressing demand for cleaner fuel and vehicles， Beijing raised its automobileemission standard to the National V standard on February 1， making it the strictest in the nation.
The National V standard requires sulfur content in the fuel to be no more than 10 parts per million （ppm）.
Li Kunsheng， Director of the bureau’s Department of Motor Vehicles， said that compared with previous automobile emission standards， the stricter version will reduce emissions of nitrogen monoxide by 40 percent and the concentration of PM2.5 will decrease accordingly.
Li said that considering the number of registered automobiles in the city has exceeded 5.2 million and is expected to reach 6 million by 2015， implementation of the stricter emission standards is important.
According to Hao Jiming， a professor at Tsinghua University’s School of Environment， raising the quality of gasoline and diesel and enforcing stricter emission standards are the most efficient and economical measures to improve air quality.
Though Beijing has now adopted the strictest fuel standards in the nation， experts warn that the poor quality diesel used in neighboring cities will hinder the capital’s efforts to improve air quality.
In fact， different fuel standards are in place in different parts of China. For example， Shanghai and east China’s Jiangsu Province are continuing with the National IV standard that limits sulfur content to 50 ppm.
The State Council， China’s cabinet， on February 6 released a timetable to upgrade fuel quality. It stipulates that the National V standard for automobile gasoline and diesel will be implemented nationwide before the end of 2017.
Prolonged smog has tormented Chinese people in the early part of 2013. In the first month of the year， Beijing experienced 25 smoggy days， 13 more than the average of the same period over the previous 10 years.
The average density of PM2.5 tiny airborne matter in January was 180 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing， about 30 percent higher than the same period between 2009 and 2011， according to official data. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less in diameter. It is extremely hazardous to respiratory and cardiovascular systems， especially among children and the elderly.
Furthermore， recent research by the Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS） found a large amount of organic nitrogen compounds in the recent smog that engulfed Beijing and nearby cities. The chemicals are believed to have been major components in London’s Great Smog in 1952 and the photochemical smog in Los Angeles from 1940 to 1950.
In the wake of the serious situation， authorities and the public have begun to take action.
A ‘greener’ festival
For the first time， Xu Xiliang decided to push aside the idea of setting off fireworks to celebrate the Spring Festival with family. In the past eight years since 2005， when Beijing lifted a 12-year-long firework ban， the 36-year-old Beijinger spent more than 1，000 yuan （$161） for fireworks each year.
“I haven’t experienced so many smoggy days in the past. I hope my efforts can contribute to easing the problem，” Xu said.
Chinese people ring in the Lunar New Year with a huge amount of firecrackers and airborne fireworks. Custom dictates that the loud noises and vibrant sparks ward off evil spirits and bad luck.
The pyrotechnic spree is always accompanied by a rise in pollution and a spate of accidents including burns and fires.
According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection， during the weeklong Spring Festival holiday from February 9 to 15， PM2.5 readings skyrocketed in many Chinese cities， indicating worsened air quality attributed to fireworks. Of the 74 cities that had applied a more comprehensive air quality monitoring standard and published daily reports on PM2.5 by the end of 2012， 42.7 percent reported excessive readings during the Spring Festival holiday.
The highest average single-day reading reached 426 micrograms per cubic meter， nearly 5.7 times the country’s standard of 75 micrograms per cubic meter， the ministry said.
Fortunately， more people like Xu realized the severity of the problem and looked to celebrate the holiday in a more environmentally sound fashion by setting off fewer fireworks.
As a result， the sales of fireworks dropped significantly around the country.
In Beijing， a total of 313，000 cartons of fireworks were sold from February 9 to 14， down by 45 percent from the 564，000 cartons sold during last year’s Spring Festival， according to statistics from the Office on Fireworks and Firecrackers of the Beijing Municipal Government.
In a report by The Beijing Times， a spokes- man for the Beijing Fireworks Co. was quoted as saying that its sales had plunged 30 percent. A fireworks salesman in Taiyuan， north China’s Shanxi Province， reported an identical decline in holiday sales.
Meanwhile， less fireworks refuse was collected.
According to official statistics， sanitation workers in Beijing cleared 5，283 tons of fireworks waste during the Spring Festival holiday， 332 tons less than last year.
In Shanghai， the amount of Lunar New Year’s Eve fireworks refuse decreased to 700 tons this year from 970 tons in 2012， according to the municipal sanitation department.
Apart from ordinary residents， government officials also seized the opportunity to promote environmentally friendly behavior. The Beijing Municipal Government sent the city’s residents text messages reminding them to set off fewer fireworks this year. It also issued a “fireworks index”that indicated whether outdoor conditions are suitable for fireworks.
Meanwhile， Beijing also reduced the number of franchised firework shops to 1，337 from last year’s 1，429. Only 750，000 cartons of fireworks were put on sale this year， down from 810，000 in 2012.
An annual holiday fireworks show in Guangzhou， south China’s Guangdong Province， was halted this year in order to reduce air pollution and cut government expenditures. The show last year cost 10 million yuan （$1.61 million）， or nearly 10 percent of the city’s total annual budget， to be put on last year. Cities including Luoyang and Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province and Haikou in south China’s Hainan Province also canceled their routine fireworks shows on the Lantern Festival on February 24.
While flammable fireworks are gradually abandoned， electronic fireworks have gained some popularity with people who wish to celebrate the holiday but are hesitant to purchase traditional fireworks.
Electronic fireworks， which comprise of light bulbs and a speaker in the “detonator” to mimic blasts， imitate traditional varieties of firecrackers， yet do not contribute to air pollution nor leave behind any debris.
According to an electronic fireworks retailer in Beijing， this year has seen a surge in sales.
They first hit the Chinese market a decade ago， but have struggled for popularity until this year， when smog blanketed more than 30 cities in central and eastern parts of China in January and calls were made to limit the use of flammable fireworks.
Figures from Taobao.com， China’s biggest e-commerce website， showed that the sales volume for electronic fireworks in the week before the Spring Festival went up by 271.3 percent compared to the same period last year.
“Setting off fireworks during the Spring Festival is a Chinese tradition. We should ensure this tradition lives on，” said Gao Wei， a folklore expert and Director of the Beijing Society of History and Geography.
“Electronic fireworks and other alternatives are good ideas that keep the tradition alive in an environmentally friendly way，” Gao said， suggesting the government should organize more fireworks shows that are professionally arranged and discourage the public sale of fireworks to reduce the risk of accidents.
Cutting emissions
Although many Chinese have discussed the problem posed by maintaining the celebratory fireworks custom in the face of air pollution problems， many others think more deep-rooted problems need to be tackled to reduce smog.
According to the CAS， the prolonged smog in China in the past two months was caused by a combination of intensive coal burning， car emissions， cooking pollutants and a particular weather pattern that creates an inversion layer over low-lying cities.
Among the factors， car emissions were blamed for nearly a quarter of Beijing’s PM2.5， and coal burning contributed to 20 percent， according to the CAS， which suggested greater efforts to reduce emissions from diesel-powered cars and raise fuel quality. In the wake of pressing demand for cleaner fuel and vehicles， Beijing raised its automobileemission standard to the National V standard on February 1， making it the strictest in the nation.
The National V standard requires sulfur content in the fuel to be no more than 10 parts per million （ppm）.
Li Kunsheng， Director of the bureau’s Department of Motor Vehicles， said that compared with previous automobile emission standards， the stricter version will reduce emissions of nitrogen monoxide by 40 percent and the concentration of PM2.5 will decrease accordingly.
Li said that considering the number of registered automobiles in the city has exceeded 5.2 million and is expected to reach 6 million by 2015， implementation of the stricter emission standards is important.
According to Hao Jiming， a professor at Tsinghua University’s School of Environment， raising the quality of gasoline and diesel and enforcing stricter emission standards are the most efficient and economical measures to improve air quality.
Though Beijing has now adopted the strictest fuel standards in the nation， experts warn that the poor quality diesel used in neighboring cities will hinder the capital’s efforts to improve air quality.
In fact， different fuel standards are in place in different parts of China. For example， Shanghai and east China’s Jiangsu Province are continuing with the National IV standard that limits sulfur content to 50 ppm.
The State Council， China’s cabinet， on February 6 released a timetable to upgrade fuel quality. It stipulates that the National V standard for automobile gasoline and diesel will be implemented nationwide before the end of 2017.