A Gold Medal for Beijing's Air? I Don't Think So!

When I was in Beijing this past June, I was stunned at how dirty and hazy the air was. I choked on the smog. I felt wheezy. I left those running shoes that I ambitiously took along with me in my suitcase. And I’m not even asthmatic! Admittedly, sometimes overly dramatic, I worried to myself whether the Beijing air would sustain my life for the two-week duration of my trip, let alone support the intense world-class sports competition that I knew would descend upon it this August 8.

And dramatic or not, my own minor musings that Beijing is not environmentally “ready” to play host have been echoed by international media, athletes, coaches, and potential Olympic goers alike.

Beijing’s Dirty Air:

The Beijing air is heavy with dense smog and it is been especially bad in the past few days. Indeed, pollution in Beijing is known to be several times what is permissible by the World Health Organization safety standards.

Although systematic studies have not been conducted on how polluted air affects athletic performance, possible side effects could be reduced lung function, reduced delivery of oxygen to muscles, and increased incidences of asthma attacks (see Effects of Air Pollution on Athletes). All of that of course equals possible diminished performance.

Some international athletes have responded by setting up training camps in nearby locations with plans to return to Beijing just in time for their events. Some American athletes for intance have stationed themselves in South Korea or Japan, while others are training about 300 miles outside of Beijing where the air is purported to be cleaner. Russian coaches and athletes already in China plan to stay indoors as much as possible before the Olympics, while the Australian track and field teams plan to delay their arrival to China until the second week of the games. Some athletes and teams will even be packing breathing apparatus!

China’s Problem Solving Measures

In all fairness, China’s government has been pro-actively implementing concrete measures to decrease pollution. Beginning July 1, it pulled about 300,000 aging and high emission vehicles off of the roads. It has closed down numerous factories, even going so far as to move some of them to neighboring Hebei province. Beginning July 20th, the government halved the number of cars on the road by implementing an alternative driving day policy. This means that cars must alternate driving days depending on whether their license plates end with an even or odd number. Although Beijing’s 66,000 taxis are exempt from this law, given that there are now 3.3 million private car owners in Beijing, at the very least, the new law has increased the flow of traffic. The government has also opened up three new subway lines which not only will serve visitors during the Olympics but will also continue to be a viable public transportation for the long term.

Based on what I’ve seen, heard and read though, I fear some of these measures may be too little, too late. Just a few days ago (July 28th), Beijing saw its smoggiest day in a month (see photo below!). Visibility was poor and international media, not surprisingly, has raised a fuss. Now Beijing is considering a contingency plan if the air is not clear by August 8th. This plan includes shutting down even more factories and quite possibly banning most private vehicles from the streets during the games. China’s government is also considering that some of the pollution in Beijing has blown in from nearby cities and towns and it may be necessary to implement measures in those places as well.

With the exception of the new subway lines -long in the planning - most governmental measures seem viable only as a way of cleaning the air slighty for the Olympics themselves which run for two weeks until August 24. But what all the fuss really calls into question is how Beijing plans to deal with its serious pollution problems for the long haul? After all, most international athletes can get out of dodge when the games are over and – hopefully- return to less polluted areas. But what about the long-term affects of Beijing’s air pollution on the millions of people who call it home? Only time will tell of course but to be truly effective, China must address the problem of air pollution for both the long and short term.

Telling photo of Beijing's skyline only 12 days before the Olympics - taken by Benjamin Hart