Chongqing air quality map

What information can be found on the air pollution map for Chongqing?

The air pollution map for Chongqing is easily accessible from the main city page. The map will be towards the top of this main page and accessed by clicking on any part of the map. When the map first opens, the viewer will be met with many coloured circles which often appear to overlap each other, but once the map is expanded, these circles will begin to separate. They represent the positions of the air monitoring stations in and around the city. The number that can be seen in the circles is the US AQI reading for that particular station. It is calculated by measuring the levels of up to six of the most common air pollutants and is then used as a metric when comparing air quality in different cities around the world. It is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Briefly looking back at the main city page, it is seen that during August 2022, Chongqing was enjoying a period of “Good” air quality with a US AQI figure of 35. The six main pollutants were measured but it was PM2.5 that is used as a benchmark. This level was 8.5 µg/m³ which is 1.7 times higher than the recommended target level of 5 µg/m³, as suggested by the WHO. With such a relatively low level of pollution, residents are encouraged to open doors and windows to let some fresh air into the building and to enjoy outside activities too.

Directly below the map is the number of stations within the region that supply data regarding air quality. In August 2022, there were 27 stations operating.

Is there much more information available on the air pollution map for Chongqing?

Once the air pollution map for Chongqing is opened as a full-screen viewing, four options will appear on the far left-hand side of the screen. All of these can be deactivated individually if desired.

The first choice shows the location of all the ground-level air monitoring stations in and around the city. If any area is of special interest to the viewer, then by clicking on that specific disc, a new page will open which is dedicated to that specific area of the city.

The second option shows the location of any fires that are currently burning. During August 2022 there were two fires shown on the map. One to the east of the city and one to the west. When option four is consulted it shows the direction of the prevailing wind so will give a good indication if the smoke from the fires will affect the city or not.

The third option affects the overall background colour of the map to reflect the general air quality. Sometimes it appears to be shaded which means the air quality is not the same across the entire region. The meaning of the various colour is explained in the legend at the foot of the page. If the colours are too overpowering; they can be deactivated to let the map revert to a more natural hue.

Across on the right-hand side of the page is a table which ranks world cities according to their level of pollution. Some cities towards the top of the table are not thought of as being heavily polluted cities, but pollutants can be carried for thousands of miles by the wind so very often the polluted air has been blown in from elsewhere.

Are highly polluted areas clearly marked on the air quality map for Chongqing?

The areas of high pollution can be identified by looking at the coloured discs and finding the one with the darkest colour and/or the highest number. Alternatively, by looking directly beneath the air pollution map for Chongqing a list appears that shows the most polluted stations in descending order, with the dirtiest appearing first. Currently, this is the Liang lu station with a US AQI reading of 59 which classifies it as “Moderate”.

The next list shows the stations ranked by their popularity with Xie taizi currently being the most popular with over 23,000 followers.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air pollution map for Chongqing?

Chongqing will strengthen the management and control of industrial pollution sources, strengthen cement, steel, thermal power, coal-fired boilers and other key industries involving particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and chemical industry, industrial coating, packaging and printing, oil storage, transportation and sales, etc. Monitoring and law enforcement of enterprises; reasonably carry out peak shift, maintenance and scheduling, and deal with enterprises that cannot meet the standards stably and give priority to emergency emission reduction.

In terms of traffic pollution source control, Chongqing will strictly implement the regulations on the restriction of trucks and high-emission vehicles, increase the investigation and punishment of illegal violations of the limit, and severely crack down on illegal behaviours such as vehicles that emit black smoke and vehicles that exceed the standard.

Chongqing will also strengthen the management and control of domestic pollution sources, increase the investigation and punishment of illegal and illegal acts of open burning, and strengthen the supervision of fireworks and firecrackers in prohibited areas and prohibited periods, so as to reduce the impact of fireworks and firecrackers on air quality.

PM2.5 is used as a benchmark on the air pollution map for Chongqing, but what is it?

When pollution is caused by the combustion of solid fuels or resulting from the operation of internal combustion engines floating in the air, they reach our lungs with every breath. PM 2.5 are suspended dusts, the diameter of which does not exceed 2.5 micrometres. It is these substances that enter the bloodstream and can cause a number of serious diseases. PM10 are dusts whose diameter does not exceed 10 micrometres, their negative impact is most quickly visible in the form of respiratory tract irritation.

Coarse dust is the " coarse " pollutant found in the air with a diameter greater than 10 microns. The body is able to partially deal with these relatively large particles (sand, dust, coarse dust, hair, fibres) because it filters them in the upper part of the respiratory tract and removes them.