Environment     

Air pollution in Shanghai worst since records began

Shanghai Daily, December 3, 2013

• "You see, most of the pedestrians wear no masks," an elderly woman surnamed Min said. "I heard about the heavily polluted air condition from a TV news report but thought it should be like that of usual days."

  An eighth grader in a local middle school said that though she and her family knew yesterday would be a poor air quality day, neither her parents nor teachers asked her to wear a mask.

  The Shanghai Education Commission issued a directive to schools before classes began that they should reduce outdoor activities. A second notice in the morning ordered a halt to outdoor activities. Students who were late or absent yesterday and today would not be penalized, the commission said.

  There may be some relief from the pollution this afternoon.

  "An increase in winds is expected which will blow away the smog and bring a higher visibility later in the day," said Kong Chunyan, a forecaster at the bureau.

  Meanwhile, winter began last Thursday, the bureau said yesterday, after average temperatures stayed below 10 degrees Celsius for five straight days.

   

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