China Death Air: Just How Bad Is It?

This 50 Shades of Grey is a lot less sexy

The People's Daily

Here today, gone tomorrow! - People's Daily HQ!

Via Sina Weibo

This is "China Death Air"

Via Sina Weibo

...Otherwise known as, the air in China

Sui

Air pollution is measured by gauging the number of particles in the air smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM 2.5)… This is called the Air Quality Index (AQI)

Via aqicn.org

Anything between 0-50 is considered "good." New York’s AQI is usually pretty low

Via aqicn.org

Even LA is not too shabby

Via @BeijingAir

Beijing's is typically a little higher

0 - 50 = Good

51 - 100 = Moderate

101 - 150 = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

151 - 200 = Unhealthy

201 - 300 = Very Unhealthy

301 - 500 = Hazardous

500+ = Beyond Index

CF

Asthma, and other respiratory illness’ are now on the rise.

Getty / Via CNN.com

In 2013, China reported their youngest lung cancer case ever... an 8-year-old girl.

Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA Diego Azubel

Over the last decade, lung cancer cases have increased more than 50% in Beijing

Via thetimes.co.uk

China's leaders have repeatedly vowed to clean up the country's pollution, but so far, little progress has been made