ULAN BATOR, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Air pollution in Mongolia's capital has drawn increasing public concern as its air quality is getting very poor due to heating with fuel in a harsh winter.

As of 10 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) on Friday, the average density of PM2.5 in the city exceeded 500 micrograms per cubic meter in the ger districts of Ulan Bator, while it reached 337 micrograms per cubic meter in the central areas of the city, local media reported, citing the city's air quality index.

PM 2.5, fine particles that are 2.5 microns or fewer in diameter, can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream, according to medical experts.

For many years, air pollution has been one of the most pressing issues in Ulan Bator, home to around half of the country's 3.4 million population. More than half of the capital's population lives in the city's ger districts, with no running water, central heating, or sewerage systems. They burn processed fuel and other flammable materials to keep warm and cook meals in winter.

Mongolia has a typical continental climate, with long, frigid winters and short summers, and Ulan Bator is the world's coldest capital in winter. A temperature of minus 25 degrees Celsius in Mongolia is common during winter. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)