New PM2.5 web page under repairs

The new PM2.5 web page that reveals real-time updates on Shanghai's air quality launched with difficulty Tuesday, meeting technological problems that caused it to crash last night, hours after revealing "light pollution" was affecting the city.

The Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, which is responsible for the web page with the updates, said Tuesday that IT staff were working on the problem, which was first detected on the weekend.

The web page, meant to inform local residents of poor conditions by providing readings of air particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, said that the city experienced "light pollution" with a PM2.5 reading twice exceeding the standard (75 micrograms per cubic meter).

Duan Yusen, an officer for the monitoring center, said Tuesday that insufficient air flow after westerly winds brought dirt to the city in recent days had prompted the situation.

PM2.5 is considered to be the most dangerous type of particulate air pollution since it is microscopic enough to enter people's lungs.

Shanghai currently has two PM2.5 monitoring stations, while another 30 monitoring stations are expected to be set up in the city by June.

The city has been piloting PM2.5 projects since last year, and hopes to encourage other cities to adopt a similar system. Most Chinese cities only monitor pollution particles with a diameter of at least 10 micrometers.

Global Times