Environment

Is This Mysterious, Yellow Haze in China Really From Burning Straw?

A thick yellow-grey haze covering several provinces in China over the weekend and Monday had officials telling residents they should remain inside. Those venturing outdoors are seen in photographs wearing masks over their nose and mouth.

Just what caused this smog? According to China’s news agency Xinhua, it’s the result of burning straw. The smog continued in the provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Jiangsu through Tuesday. Xinhua reports experts in the Hubei province saying this is the worst air pollution they’ve seen in 10 years.

China Daily has several photos of the unusual haze:

Chinese Warned to Stay Indoors as Officials Claim Mysterious Haze Is From Burning Straw

(Photo: China Daily/Asian News Photo)

Chinese Warned to Stay Indoors as Officials Claim Mysterious Haze Is From Burning Straw

(Photo: China Daily/Asian News Photo)

Here’s more from Xinhua on what caused the haze:

Tian Yiping, a senior researcher with the provincial environmental monitoring center said inhalable particles rose sharply from 2 a.m. Monday, but concentrations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide remained normal.

This proves that the pollution stemmed from the burning of organic matter, not industrial accidents, said Tian.

[...]

An expert with Changsha’s environmental protection bureau said fog formed after continuous downpours increased humidity in central China, and the situation worsened as farmers in north China burned wheat straw left behind in their fields after harvesting.

According to the meteorological satellite data released by the Ministry of Environmental Protection on Monday, smoke arose in Henan, Anhui and Shandong provinces, major wheat-growing provinces.

“The smoke, carried southward by northerly winds, mixed with the fog in central China, triggered the unusually-colored haze,” said the expert.

Xinhua also reports two men were detained for spreading rumors that the smog was from from a chemical furnace blast.

AFP (via PhysOrg) reports resident Li Yunzhong saying he could “not believe [his] eyes” when he first saw the smog. He expressed that many were very worried as they did not know what it was.

Chinese Warned to Stay Indoors as Officials Claim Mysterious Haze Is From Burning Straw

(Photo via PhysOrg.com)

Straw burning is banned by many local governments in the provinces, but the practice still reportedly occurs none the less. Li also is reported by AFP as saying he is skeptical burning of farmland being the cause of the smog:

“I doubt that,” he said. “We don’t practise large-scale shifting agriculture in our region.”

Some may find the timing of this smog a bit ironic as just last week Chinese officials told the United States to stop publicizing the country’s pollution levels on Twitter.

Only the Chinese government is authorized to monitor and publish air quality information and data from other sources may not be standardized or rigorous, Wu Xiaoqing, a vice environmental minister, told reporters.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. had no plans to stop providing the service.

“You know, air pollution, quite frankly, is a problem in many cities and regions in China,” he told a news briefing.

The Beijing government only began reporting PM2.5 earlier this year after long-standing public and international criticism of its lack of transparency about its air quality.

The government appears frustrated that there are now dueling readings for air quality and that the U.S. readings underscore the fact that pollution levels considered unhealthy in the U.S. are classified as good by China.

Wu said it isn’t fair to judge Chinese air by American standards because China is a developing country and noted that U.S. environmental guidelines have become more stringent over time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

(H/T: GeekOSystem)

Comments (47)

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  • AzThunder
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:16pm

    my guess, moochell farted

    Report Post » AzThunder  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 4:18pm

    I wonder if China has also banned Frank Zappa’s Yellow Snow song…

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 4:14pm

    And China was upset that the US would not sign the Kyoto Treaty. Poor babies…

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 5:54pm

      Monk, Clinton did sign the Kyoto Accord Treaty, it was just never ratified, so it made his signature null. I remember because I was busy many nights at Ft McClellan sending 90 to 100 page faxes to Kyoto to an Army officer from our directorate.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:16pm

      Hi RJJ,

      Thanks for the reminder. I remember now.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • MRMANN
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 3:55pm

    I‘m so grateful that I live in the good ol’ USA, warts ‘n all

    Report Post »  
    • MittensKittens
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 4:03pm

      You know they call China yellow for a reason!

      Report Post » MittensKittens  
    • ViewPointtt
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 9:24pm

      The sky in SoCal looked exactly like this yesterday. This was not the first time that the mountains that are normally easy to see in the not-too-far-distance were completely obscured by a thick, heavy “fog.” Most likely, this is an especially concentrated spraying of chemtrails. Looks like they are accelerating for a big, upcoming global event.

      Report Post »  
  • OneTermPresident
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 3:24pm

    Is there a Greenpeace branch in China?

    Report Post » OneTermPresident  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 5:56pm

      I would venture to say not, but I’m sure they pump tons of money into branches of Greenpeace every where they can cause trouble in this world.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • John655
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 3:19pm

    I was in China (all over China) in 2008 just before the Olympics, when they were attemting to clean up their act. And I described the air at the time to be thick enough to take a bite out of it. Also, ours throats burned all the time. Fun place.

    Report Post » John655  
    • Al J Zira
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 3:23pm

      And we’re supposed to abide by the Kyoto accord. People live in a dream world.

      Report Post » Al J Zira  
  • cantwaitfor2012
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:10pm

    Let’s send Lisa Jackson and her EPA minions to solve the problem in China! And deny them re-entry to the USA! Two birds with one stone!

    Report Post » cantwaitfor2012  
    • LetUsReason
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:52pm

      I used to live in Jiangsu Province. First, it’s absurd to believe the Chinese government with anything they say, but of course it’s ridiculous to say that this is from burning straw. Second, people wear masks over their nose and mouth even when there isn’t a heavy, yellow haze. Welcome to China, Communism, and Secrecy.

      Report Post »  
  • HKS
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:09pm

    Probably a product of all those advanced pollution controls used in China. When you make omelets, you break a lot of eggs. Pretty much all omelets are made there.

    Report Post » HKS  
  • The Sergeant Major
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:43pm

    It looks like Denver after medical marijuana celebrations, except a lot more Chinese workers. All the while I’m listening to Jimmy Hendrix sing “All along the Watchtower” on Pandora. Algore go light up another fatty.

    Report Post » The Sergeant Major  
  • term limits for congress
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:39pm

    Good thing China didn’t participate in that Cap-and-Trade thing. They would have just rung up one heckuva bill.

    Report Post »  
  • Crazy Times
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:29pm

    Looks like a sandstorm to me…..

    Report Post » Crazy Times  
  • Teabunny
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:20pm

    Yellow Haze recipe
    1/4 oz Bacardi® Limon rum
    1/4 oz gin
    1/2 oz Mountain Dew® citrus soda
    1 splash lime juice

    “Late Lament”

    Breathe deep the gathering gloom,
    Watch lights fade from every room.
    Bedsitter people look back and lament,
    Another day’s useless energy spent.
    Impassioned lovers wrestle as one,
    Lonely man cries for love and has none.
    New mother picks up and suckles her son,
    Senior citizens wish they were young.
    Cold hearted orb that rules the night,
    Removes the colours from our sight.
    Red is grey and yellow white.
    But we decide which is right.
    And which is an illusion?

    Report Post » Teabunny  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:19pm

    Al Gore where are you??? Please send Gore a one way ticket to China ASAP!! He is missing out on the real culprits to global warming!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:19pm

    Translation: how can we get away with a lie if the United States is going to correct us with the truth? Now what they should do is start telling the truth about all the backdoor deals they make with this administration. That would teach us to stay out of their business.

    Report Post »  
  • PhreighnQ
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:18pm

    Before there was “public and international criticism of its lack of transparency about its air quality”. Now it is public and international criticism of its lack of transparency in its air.

    Report Post »  
  • wordweaver
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:11pm

    The air in our atmosphere goes round and round, and we all share the good air along with the polluted. As someone else pointed out, it does little good for a few countries to take air quality seriously if the rest of the world does not. I’m no eco-green climate change fanatic, but I do know that as the global population soars, keeping the air clean is going to only get more and more challenging. Major industrial nations have to all line up together if efforts are to be successful. Most of what I hear out of China is that they are not yet onboard with the concept.

    Report Post » wordweaver  
  • TROONORTH
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:58pm

    QUICK! Call Al Gore and start the grant money flowing. There are linkages to global warming to be made!

    Report Post » TROONORTH  
  • Apple Bite
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:54pm

    The return of Mao!

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
  • theblazerunner
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:44pm

    do not know what it is …will wait for the tests.

    Report Post » theblazerunner  
  • Zipit
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:42pm

    Someone get Lisa Jackson over there! Stat……

    Report Post »  
  • Mutiny
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:38pm

    Perfect example of why charging American companies money by the EPA and what not is pointless. You cannot save the planet with 2/3s of the world not giving a crap.

    Report Post » Mutiny  
  • TROLLMONGER
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:38pm

    Its from burning chinese people.

    Report Post » TROLLMONGER  
  • AmazingGrace8
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:38pm

    Could it be the burning of “yellow-journalism”?

    Report Post »  
  • Bob_R_OathKeeper
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:38pm

    There are so many Chinese that the sun is reflecting off their skin, making the sky yellow.

    Report Post » Bob_R_OathKeeper  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:37pm

    I took some Yellow Haze at Woodstock man…it was faaar out.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 4:10pm

      Thanks Gonzo…… now I have to clean the coffee off my keyboard.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 6:07pm

      Both of you, LOL!

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:20pm

      Hi RJJ,

      I now know what Gonzo does for a living. He manufactures and/or sells computer keyboards.

      I was able to save mine from drowning; it’s off Life support now and recovering. : )

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 8:00pm

      Hey Monk, I know the feeling. But, I usually hit the screen instead. But, I have been through three keyboards on a near two year old computer. LOL

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
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