China claims success in anti-pollution car ban

BEIJING: Beijing's notorious air quality improved during a four-day ban that kept 1.3 million cars off the road, officials said on Monday, though an unhealthy haze shrouded the city during the Olympic trial.   

The ban that began on Friday was meant to test whether Beijing's air quality would benefit from similar car restrictions during next year's Games.   

"The answer is clearly yes," Du Shaozhong, deputy director of Beijing's Environmental Protection Bureau, told here.   

"The measures taken from the test results have been very successful for ensuring good air quality during the Olympics. It has been valuable in getting experience."   

Citing preliminary findings from the test that is scheduled to end at midnight Monday, he said key pollution indicators had fallen.   

"During the first three days of the test, air quality improved markedly and the same is expected to be the case for (Monday) the final day."   

According to daily bulletins from China's Environmental Monitoring Centre,  air quality readings in Beijing improved from 'slightly polluted,' or level 3, last Thursday to 'fairly good,' or level 2, on the three first days of the test.   

Levels 1 or 2 are considered 'blue sky days' in the official Chinese jargon that describes whether Beijing enjoyed a non-polluted day or not.   

However residents of Beijing -- one of the world's most polluted cities -- often look out into grey, smog-filled horizons on 'blue sky days'.   

Du said that the main pollutants -- notably particulate matter (PM 10) -- had shown a sharp reduction during the four days.   

Dust and other particles contained in PM 10 can worsen asthma, affect lung function and cause bronchitis, according to experts.    

Du said his comments were preliminary and full findings would be published after analysis of the data.   

Despite the official reduction in key pollutants, visibility remained low in Beijing and a stubborn smog clung to the capital throughout the test period.   

Experts cited in China's state-run press said that without wind or rain, pollution remained trapped inside the city that is flanked on three sides by mountains.   

The capital's poor air quality is blamed partly on the city's three million cars -- a number growing by 1,200 a day -- and has long been a top concern for athletes and officials head of next year's Games.   

The traffic ban coincided with a series of test events for next year's Olympics, including road cycling, beach volleyball, canoeing, baseball and archery.   

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, in Beijing for the August 8 one-year countdown to the Games, said some events could be postponed if pollution was extremely bad.