Street barbecues cause PM 2.5 levels to surge

Smoke rises from a street barbecue at a night market on July 16, 2013, in Beijing. (Photo: crienglish/Beijing News)

Data reveals the PM 2.5 readings of five monitoring sites along Chaoyang street in Beijing before and after barbecue stalls start burning charcoal on July 4, 2013. (Photo: crienglish/Beijing News)

The PM 2.5 levels, relating to the fine particulate matter which causes severe damage to one's lungs, around street barbecues in Beijing is about one thousand times higher than the readings taken before the charcoal starts to burn, The Beijing News reported according to their own on-the-spot investigation.

At 7 p.m. on July 4, PM 2.5 levels at five monitoring sites along Chaoyang street in Beijing stood at less than 10 micrograms per cubic meter. 15 minutes after barbecue owners started burning charcoal, the PM 2.5 levels at the site one meter away from a barbecue raised to 324 micrograms per cubic meter. One hour later, the reading of this site surged to 4409 micrograms per cubic meter when most street barbecues were full of customers. The windward monitoring site on the street recorded PM 2.5 levels of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

Conducted by The Beijing News and Green Beagle Environment Institute, the investigation lasted several days and the data for each day was almost identical to that of July 4.

Professor He Xiaoxia, director of the Green Beagle Environment Institute, says that barbeques produce not only pollution; but also poisonous gas.

The air pollution caused by barbecues as well as the noise pollution created by those who choose to dine on the street causes much discomfort to nearby residents. Though urban administration officials often urge owners to shut down these barbecues, before long, they usually reemerge.

Barbecue owner Zhang Haiguang said he understood the complaints of residents with regards to air pollution, but the amount of barbeque lovers means that wherever he sets up his stall, he will always attract a lot of custom.

Though barbecues are not the main source of pollution in major cities, controlling street barbecues will go some way towards popularizing a green lifestyle for the masses.