Yesterday Danwei reported that China’s State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) published air pollution statistics for major Chinese cities.
The Beijing pollution rating for December 12, 2006 was a record 500, the maximum score on the scale that SEPA uses. 200 is considered a bad day for Beijing. The primary pollutant on December 12 was described by SEPA as “inhalable particles” (可吸入颗粒物).
Thanks to Blake Stone-Banks, Danwei has found some more specific information on what this means: “Inhalable particles are particulate matter of less than 10 micrometers (microns) in diameter. This is the most prominent form of air pollution in Beijing.”
A source at SEPA confirmed that ordinary dust does not register on their air pollution index. The index is a measure of sulphur dioxide (SO2 – a major component of acid rain), nitrous dioxide (NO2 – a combustion-relation poison), and inhalable pollutants that are smaller than 10 microns.
There’s more information in English about particulate matter and its effect on your health on an Australian government website.