Viral documentary is challenging China’s powerful polluters

Pollution has become China's "Inconvenient Truth".
Photo by Danilo Rizzuti/Freedigitalphotos.net

A Chinese video has garnered well over 20 million views on video sharing site YouKu, and close to 5 million on Tencent Video.

What’s more, it hasn't yet been banned.

Usually that would describe content like celebrity gossip or comical animals, but this is Under the Dome, a meticulously researched documentary on the causes and implications of the country’s pollution crisis.

Pollution in China is an inconvenient truth. Nearly everyone agrees it is a problem, but the intricacies, scale, and potential solutions are not well understood.

Chai Jing—a former TV news anchor who produced Under the Dome with her own funds—has attempted to tackle the complexities of the issue much as Al Gore did for climate change.

In her documentary, Chai purposefully guides viewers through the data on pollution, weaving in interviews with experts, policymakers, and industry representatives.

The documentary—named after the Stephen King book that inspired an American TV series—is novel on many levels. There is an expertly animated section showing how particulate matter infiltrates the lungs.

Charts and disturbing images of pollution-ravaged lungs are presented with Gore-like effectiveness.

And there are many moving anecdotes from Chai about her personal relationship with pollution, which she believes caused her infant daughter to be born with a benign tumor.

But what’s most surprising is how brazenly Chai attacks some of the most powerful organizations in the country, from the coal and oil industries to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and state-run banks.

She makes a trip to a coal factory in Hebei Province to get a firsthand account of production.

Chai goes on to discuss the quality of coal and poor regulation of its disposal.

In recent years, our coal consumption has grown, the quality of the coal has gotten worse, we aren’t cleaning the coal, and there is little regulation of coal disposal.

The result is this: In China, the places with higher coal consumption have a much higher concentration of particulate matter.

Regulators and the oil industry

Chai moves on to talk about the impact of oil consumption on air quality, focusing first on vehicle emissions standards. She addresses the fact that, while China’s increasing reliance on cars is partly to blame for poorer air quality, lax regulation of heavy-duty trucks is even more harmful.

She tracks down drivers that have stickers on their trucks claiming that they have been cleared for the “China IV” emissions standards.

Checking their engines, however, reveals that they are well below these standards. While there are regulations that can put a stop to these “counterfeit China IV” trucks, she says, they are never enforced.

Chai attempts to find out which government department is responsible for enforcing these regulations. She finds a lot of buck passing.

Moving past enforcement, Chai turns to the poor quality of oil used in commercial vehicles.

She looks to find out why standards aren’t higher, and finds a revolving door between the oil industry and the regulators meant to keep it in check.

Banks, subsidies, and zombie companies

Looking for an example of the kind of heavy industry that consumes large amounts of the coal and oil she’s been discussing, Chai zeroes in on steel.

She reveals a systemic problem faced by several industries in the country: “zombie” companies, which are noncompetitive and obsolete firms that are kept alive primarily by government subsidies.

She later makes a more general point: The most important thing for the government to do is not to subsidize obsolete, polluting industries. What it should do is provide fair opportunities for the industries of tomorrow.

What to do about it

Amazingly, given the film’s critical tone and its high-profile targets in government and major Chinese industries, the video has not (yet) been blocked, although state-run news organizations have been directed not to “hype” the documentary further, according to China Digital Times, which monitors leaked censorship instructions.

Since that directive makes clear that the authorities are aware of “Under the Dome,” it’s not clear why Chai has been able to survive the censors.

Perhaps it’s because the video is so measured in its criticism, or that it simply became too popular too fast to shut down. Or maybe the government simply agrees with her message.

According to one government report, newly appointed environment minister Chen Jining said the documentary was “worthy of respect” and thanked Chai for her work.

Even with its popularity, though, Chai is just one former TV anchor. Her lecture closes by imploring others to act.

She tells anyone who is watching to find a way to help, comparing the experience of China to those of countries that have overcome once deadly pollution problems.

This article has been edited for length. Source: Quartz

Of course, Chinese officials have begun responding and deleting the documentary from various popular sites. Read more about that here. 

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Asthma on the rise in China's cities

Air pollution is a major risk factor
for asthma, experts say.

Asthma cases have risen dramatically in China over the past decade along with ever deteriorating air pollution, according to leading respiratory specialists.

Nationwide, the prevalence of asthma stands at 1 to 2 percent, while in some cities it can reach more than 10 percent, a leading pulmonary physician said.

Lin Jiangtao, director of the China Asthma Alliance and a physician at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, was citing results from the first nationwide epidemiology survey on asthma, which he led.

The potentially fatal disease has risen quickly across the nation, with Shanghai recording the fastest increase in prevalence of 190 percent over the past decade.

"Given that air pollution is a major risk factor in asthma, the disease is still rising constantly," Lin warned.

In a widely reported case, Chinese mother Shang Yujun moved her son to three different Chinese cites to escape air pollution before finally settling in London to control his asthma.

Lin suggested that patients with the disease limit outdoor activities and heavy exercise on days with high concentrations of pollutants, as such conditions can prompt asthma attacks.

Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization among children in China and imposes a significant burden on their families. Patients with the condition have increased rates of work absenteeism.

The Asia Asthma Development Board said China has the world’s highest mortality rate from asthma, with 36.7 out of 100,000 patients failing to survive.

Wang Chen, a leading respiratory disease expert and an academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said, "Various respiratory diseases have become a public health challenge in China."

But he said public awareness remains poor in a country where only 34 percent of the cases are under control.

Of the more than 30 million patients in China, about 80 percent fail to effectively control the disease and less than 5 percent have received standard treatment, Lin said.

A 36-year-old patient surnamed Wang, from Hebei province, said he used to be hospitalized three times a year in Beijing for serious asthma attacks. He was diagnosed with the disease after having it for more than a year.

"I frequently felt out of breath and had to take a rest when climbing up several steps," he said.

Drug therapy and a surgical procedure called bronchial thermoplasty helped put him back on his feet after he had to use a wheelchair.

Wang Chen called for standardized treatment and improved access to drug treatment for asthma patients.

Source: China Daily

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Pollution choking China's tourism industry

Poor air quality a drawback for tourists.

China's inbound tourism market is still struggling to bounce back in the midst of rising concerns about issues such as air pollution, according to a new report from the China Tourism Academy.

The number of inbound tourists reached 129.08 million in 2013, down 2.51 percent year-on-year, the report said.

About 75.4 percent of inbound tourists were satisfied with their visits in 2013, down 11.41 percent compared with the previous year. Some tourists from overseas expressed dissatisfaction with the water supply, air quality and barrier-free facilities.

"Since the first quarter of 2012, the number of inbound tourists has been down for nine consecutive quarters both on an annual and quarterly basis, and there is no sign that it will bounce back soon," said Dai Bin, head of the academy. "China's inbound tourism market is in a grave situation unseen before."

"And the complicated exterior environment has added uncertainties to the development of inbound tourism," Dai added. "Besides the economic situation and international relationships, issues of weather, environment and terrorism have cast a shadow on the industry."

Jia Zhirong, deputy general manager of Lvmama, an online travel service provider in Shanghai, said his company has seen decreases both in the number of inbound tourists and the money they spend in China in the past three years.

"The majority of our clients are from South Korea, Japan, the United States and Canada," said Jia. "In 2011, the average spending in China for each overseas tourist was around $2,000, excluding transportation and accommodation. The number has been dropping every year."

"I think air pollution is a very important reason," Jia said. "Overseas visitors will not consider traveling to a destination with a potential health risks.

"Besides, the reason overseas visitors found China attractive is the natural beauty of lakes, mountains and ancient architecture. With heavy smog, it is very difficult for them to enjoy that."

Beijing, one of the most important tourism destinations in China, has been plagued by heavy smog for days. The capital's tourism authority told China Daily that it is aware of the impact of air pollution on tourism, but there are more reasons behind the declines.

Source: China Daily Asia

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Market growth for Chinese laser equipment slows down

The laser equipment market is expected to
continue growing at a single digit rate.

As a global processing and manufacturing center, China has continuously expanded the installation of laser processing equipment and occupied more than 10% of the global market.

However, due to weak downstream demand, the growth rate of Chinese laser equipment market in 2012 and 2013 both fell to below 10% according to the "Global and China Laser Equipment and Processing Industry Report, 2013-2017" from portal ChinaMarketResearchReports.com.

Among major enterprises, only Han's Laser Technology and Shenzhen Sunshine Laser and Electronics Technology have achieved business growth, says the report.

Other enterprises have realized little growth or negative growth. With continuous upgrading of processing and manufacturing industry, it is expected that the laser industry will see recovery growth and business performance will pick up in 2014 and 2015.

Han's Laser Technology is China's largest laser equipment manufacturer, says the report. Despite the laser industry downturn, Han's Laser Technology has maintained rapid growth, and achieved a year-on-year revenue growth rate of 18.53% in the first half of 2013. In particular, the revenue from high-power laser cutting equipment, laser welding equipment, and laser cutting equipment rose by 77.13%, 13.32%, and 35.03% year on year, respectively.

Shenzhen Sunshine Laser and Electronics Technology is China’s largest laser processing service company, says the report. The company occupies a big share of the laser template processing and laser forming service markets, which are expected to hit 21% and 13%, respectively, in 2013.

In the first half of 2013, the growth rate of its revenue from laser forming services, HDI drilling, and UV drilling  reached 41.63%, 119.33%, and 575.08%, respectively, displaying strong growth momentum.

The report also says that the European and American economic crisis, the Asian economic slowdown, and a number of other factors have affected the development of the global laser industry and reduced the growth rate of the global industrial laser sector to single digits.

The growth rate of the global laser system market declined from 16% in 2011 to 6% in 2012, and is expected to further drop to around 4% in 2013.

Source: Industrial Laser Solutions

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Cleaner air a must to stop China tourism losses

Hotels and other providers of room and board accommodations need to take measures for cleaner indoor air

Activated carbon in air purifiers
can help remove fumes, gases,
chemicals, odors and more.

China has always been a major draw for tourists, but an ever growing problem of smog and poor air quality has caused a huge drop of visitors this year.

In January, China experienced extreme levels of smog, which were reported worldwide. Since then, the numbers of overseas visitors have declined and many long-term foreign residents have decided to leave the country.

China is the world's third most popular destination for international travel after France and the United States.

The decline could be long-term if Beijing fails to make visible progress in dealing with pollution, experts say.

An analysis of U.S. Embassy readings of smaller, more harmful airborne particles, show this year's pollution is significantly worse than in the past three years.

The Chinese government has announced ambitious anti-pollution measures but people whose jobs depend on foreign tourists aren't hopeful.

Source: The Telegraph

Cleaner air in hotels and other accommodations 

Visiting a country that suffers from high levels of air pollution is hard enough, but the thought of sleeping in a room with the same levels of poor indoor air quality might turn potential visitors away.

The tourism industry can respond by cutting prices - or by offering cleaner and healthier air inside their buildings.

In order to tackle the fumes, chemicals and particles inherent in city smog, an air purifier for smog not only needs a HEPA filter for particles and dust, but also a comprehensive activated carbon filter to remove chemicals, gases and fumes.

Electrocorp has worked with environmental consultants, the hospitality industry and many other professionals to provide cleaner indoor air. For hotel rooms and the hospitality industry, Electrocorp recommends air purification systems such as

Electrocorp's 9000 Series air purifier
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9000 Series - This air purifier offers a 15-60 pound activated carbon filter and medical grade HEPA filter and a pre-filter to prolong the main filters' life. The air purifiers can be mounted to the wall, attached to the ducts or used on the ground.

I-6500 Series for bigger spaces - The reception halls, lobbies, hallways, dining rooms and other larger spaces in hotels and vacation accommodations will benefit from clean air that has been filtered by activated carbon and HEPA.

RAP Series - Electrocorp's Radial Air Purifiers provide around the clock operation and a multi-stage filtration system to remove airborne chemicals, odors, particles and biological contaminants.

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Toyota, China University jointly studying air pollutants

Source: The Japan Times

The Toyota Motor Corp. and China’s Tsinghua University are conducting joint research on fine particle pollution. The research is focusing dangerous particulates with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns that are causing serious air pollution and health problems in China.

Toyota and Beijing-based Tsinghua, one of the most renowned Chinese universities in engineering and technology education, intend to complete the research by March 2015, the officials said, adding that some interim results may be released earlier.

Under the project, Toyota, known for its hybrid vehicle technology, is providing data related to exhaust emissions and other information on automotive technology to Tsinghua. Based on the automaker’s data, Tsinghua is trying to discover the generating mechanism of PM2.5 particulates, the main cause of air pollution in China, according to the officials.

In 2009, China overtook the United States as the world’s largest auto market. As demand for cars and trucks is expected to expand for some time in China, particularly in inland areas, reducing exhaust emissions has become increasingly urgent.

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