Bule sky is seen above theurbanareas of BeiJing, August 16, 2008
Bule sky is seen above the Beijing world park, August 16,2008
BEIJING,Aug 16 (Xinhua)-- For a second day, the Olympic hostcity reportedGrade I -- or excellent -- air quality on Saturday,the eighth dayof the Olympics. In most of the day, the city baskedinsunshine.
Figures released by the China Environmental Monitoring Center(CEMC)revealed that Beijing's Air Pollution Index (API) showed areadingof 23 on Saturday, which fell into Grade I, whose APIreading rangesbetween 1 and 50. On Friday, CEMC's figures showedan API reading of17.
China uses the API system to report the country's air quality.AnAPI reading between 51 and 100, or Grade II, means the airqualityis fairly good. An API reading between 101 and 150, or GradeIII,entails the air quality is slightly polluted.
Also on Saturday, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal BureauofEnvironmental Protection Du Shaozhong said the city reportedsevendays with Grade I air quality in the first half month inAugust,which was the highest since 1998.
In the other eight days, Beijing's air quality was in GradeII,which was within the standards to host the Olympics.
"Beijing often reports more days with Grade I air quality duringtheautumn and winter in comparison with the summer. But thisAugust,the number of days with excellent air quality is unusuallyhigh," hesaid.
Since 1998, the highest monthly number of days with excellentairquality in the summer was five, in July of 2006, he said.LastAugust only two days reported excellent air quality.
Du forecast that Beijing's air quality would be excellent orfairlygood during the Olympics and Paralympics. "Shouldweatherconditions be favorable, Beijing's air quality would beexcellent.Should weather be unfavorable, the air quality would bein GradeII," he said.
"During August 19-21, the wind is forecast to change directionandmay bring pollutants from cities to the southeast of Beijing,suchas Tianjin and Langfang," Wang said.
Du attributed good air quality to efforts made by Beijing tocurbair pollution over the last nine years, especially thisyear.
Beijing municipal government said it had poured more than140billion yuan (US$20.5 billion) since 1998 into more than200projects dedicated to improving the city's air quality.
In the run-up to the Beijing Games, the host city implementedsomedrastic measures to reduce pollution.
In one of these measures, Beijing has imposed anodd-evenrestriction system based on licence plate numbers thatwould keepvehicles off the road on alternate days from July 20 toSeptember20.