Chinese New Year celebrations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces add to smog misery

[webfact]

New Year celebrations add to smog misery

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION 
SAMUT SAKHON

 

 

CHINESE New Year celebrations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are pumping heavy metals and other toxins into air already registering dangerously high level of pollutants.

 

 

Yesterday, as Thais of Chinese descent marked the occasion, The Nation used a portable air-quality monitor to examine the impact of celebrations in Samut Sakhon’s Krathum Baen district. Findings revealed that smoke from incense, firecrackers and joss paper was raising air pollution to health-damaging levels.

 

Every Chinese New Year, the town of Krathum Baen crackles with the sound of fireworks as almost every household lights candles, incense and joss papers to worship ancestors and Chinese gods. A public alert over the smog crisis did nothing to dampen celebrations this year.

 

Mobile readings showed the widespread revelry did not exacerbate air pollution outdoors, thanks to a strong southerly wind. 

 

However, measurements inside homes where candles and incense had been lit showed that PM2.5 particles had risen to a hazardous level of between 200 and 450 micrograms per cubic metre. 

 

Meanwhile, outdoor air quality near Chinese shrines was also severely unhealthy, with the PM2.5 readings of around 80 to 300 micrograms/metre recorded. 

 

 

The air quality significantly worsened when the wind carried the acrid and eye-watering smoke of firecrackers and joss papers to the neighbouring residential area, where the PM2.5 reading jumped to as high as 700 micrograms.

 

Somnuck Jongmeewasin, an environment expert at Silpakorn University, pointed out that burning joss paper emits very high levels of PM2.5 – but worse, the smoke and ash also contain poisonous heavy metals such as lead, chromium, nickel and manganese.

 

“The most commonly used joss papers for traditional Chinese rituals are made of low-quality paper colour painted with lead, because it is the cheapest option. But this releases the heaviest pollution when burnt,” Somnuck said.

 

“Smoke and PM2.5-laden fly ash from burning joss paper contain serious level of lead, which are extremely poisonous to both human health and the environment. 

 

“Prolonged exposure to this kind of pollution can result in lung cancer, anaemia, kidney failure, Parkinson’s disease and retarded brain development in children.”

 

 

Somnuck stressed that both fly ash and heavy ash from joss paper are considered hazardous waste and must be disposed of at specialist industrial waste-management plants. 

 

He proposed that leftover joss papers be collected by local authorities to be burnt in the closed-system incinerators, so the ash can be properly treated, as many developed countries do.

 

 

Chinese New Year yesterday also saw the National Environment Committee hold a special meeting on measures for combating PM2.5 in the medium and long term. 

 

Among outcomes was a decision to upgrade Thailand’s daily safe limit of PM2.5 from 50 to 37.5 micrograms/metre, to encourage better air quality standards.

 

However Thailand director for Greenpeace Tara Buakamsri replied that decisive moves to control air pollution emissions were still lacking, while in reality there was no new PM2.5 safe standard, just revised action plans that still relied upon the old safe standard.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30363522

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-05

[dcnx]

Ah yes, those pesky Chinese.

 

Keep pointing those fingers.

[Samui Bodoh]

"...Somnuck stressed that both fly ash and heavy ash from joss paper are considered hazardous waste and must be disposed of at specialist industrial waste-management plants. 

He proposed that leftover joss papers be collected by local authorities to be burnt in the closed-system incinerators, so the ash can be properly treated, as many developed countries do..."

 

Joss paper collected and burnt at closed-system incinerators? Seriously? He thinks Joss paper will be specially collected? By what? The huge number of specialty Joss paper trucks roaming around Thailand? Has anyone seen the special Joss paper collection trucks? Post a photo?

 

The paper will be dumped in the normal trash, burned further, or even tossed directly into the klongs/rivers/ocean.

 

Bangkok/Thailand 2019; the healthy way to greet the New Year!

 

(sarcasm alert)

 

[dotpoom]

Joss paper burning was supposed to be banned for these celebrations because of the smog issue...wonder how many arrests were made? 

[MaxYakov]

12 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

Joss paper burning was supposed to be banned for these celebrations because of the smog issue...wonder how many arrests were made? 

Checking now...

[mok199]

Any adverse health affects are surely  caused by Chinese new years ....Checkmate ,well played ....

Edited February 4, 2019 by mok199

[khunJeroen]

They pray for good health, bit cynical they do the opposite. 

[whaleboneman]

It would be interesting to check the air quality in a typical Thai home that still uses coal indoors without a chimney for cooking.

[AlQaholic]

Thai people are a subgroup of Tai, Currently believed to have originated from Guangxi in China, hence, all Thai are Chinese. 423 microgram is not dangerous at all.

Edited February 5, 2019 by AlQaholic

[legend49]

Time that monitor was calibrated by a competent person. I use one in mining and never get readings that high, unbelievable.

[Artisi]

Just another BS story based on ignorance and a complete lack of any knowledge.

For example "fly ash", normally  from coal burning power stations, not joss paper /sticks - but anything for 2 minutes of fame. 

[chrisinth]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

However, measurements inside homes where candles and incense had been lit showed that PM2.5 particles had risen to a hazardous level of between 200 and 450 micrograms per cubic metre. 

 

Meanwhile, outdoor air quality near Chinese shrines was also severely unhealthy, with the PM2.5 readings of around 80 to 300 micrograms/metre recorded. 

I wonder what makes this year different from any other going back a century or so?

 

Also wonder if anyone is monitoring PM2.5 in major cities in China for any significant changes in PM levels during their two week shutdown.

 

Just to prove it comes down to jos sticks, you know.

 

Thailand, get your emission controls in order and stop clutching at straws. 

[MaxLee]

4 hours ago, dcnx said:

Ah yes, those pesky Chinese.

 

Keep pointing those fingers.

Pesky Thai-Chinese Authorities for "keeping this tradition" for centuries and be so stubborn about it.

[Naamblar2014]

Of course its the Thais fault.  Chinese are doing this instead of burning firecrackers.

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=626190464466963&id=179549255409150

[lvr181]

3 hours ago, dotpoom said:

Joss paper burning was supposed to be banned for these celebrations because of the smog issue...wonder how many arrests were made? 

Usual bulls hit statements from above! Nothing ever happens and the "authorities" (AKA idiots) go away pleased that they said something (AKA 'big noting'). ????

[huainnews]

  Nobody can tell me that the present smog levels are that much higher than they have been in previous years.

  It's all about the election, the prime minister pretending to show the public that he is doing something to make the atmosphere a little bit more breathable.

  Then what about the weird idea of dropping diluted molasses, did he have people checking any effect it might have had on Thais who have diabetes or high blood sugar levels.

[MaxLee]

Time to break tradition and go green and forget that Chinese New Year crap

[firestar]

3 hours ago, AlQaholic said:

Thai people are a subgroup of Tai, Currently believed to have originated from Guangxi in China, hence, all Thai are Chinese. 423 microgram is not dangerous at all.

 

Apologist spotted. And 423 mg is VERY high, as a comparaison recent unhealthy readings were around 150

[newnative]

Talk, talk, talk.  Just more talk.   I am deeply impressed, though, that day after day they manage to come up with something to talk, talk, talk about.  Pity that effort is not being put into actually doing something.  

[cornishcarlos]

6 minutes ago, firestar said:

 

Apologist spotted. And 423 mg is VERY high, as a comparaison recent unhealthy readings were around 150

 

Super high... I believe the WHO safe levels are 10 microns daily average over a year !!! Slight increases are acceptable but nothing near 50 even...

 

[Torrens54]

Sadly, they ignore all warnings, same as they do about their driving habits.

Some people are simply, PIG IGNORANT  !

[Benmart]

Bans mean nothing. Warnings and threats mean nothing. Appeals mean nothing. Pollution and health hazards mean nothing. Enforcement means nothing. Greed, corruption and profit...now that means something.

[DrTuner]

Of course they are. It is after all CHINESE New Year, polluting is part of the culture.

 

https://aqicn.org/map/china/#@g/29.6975/107.2705/4z

Edited February 5, 2019 by DrTuner

[DM07]

For frogs sake...can we all please stop pretending, that just two weeks ago, Bangkok was a Spa- retreat with crispy clean mountain air?

It is a little bit ridiculous!

And can we also please stop pretending, that 2 days of burning incense- sticks really contributes A LOT to ruin this purest of pure oxygens?

  

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, DM07 said:

And can we also please stop pretending, that 2 days of burning incense- sticks really contributes A LOT to ruin this purest of pure oxygens?

Only indoors I think. Whenever MIL does that "buddha" burn, I start to gasp for air. Dunno if she's lacing the sticks with sarin or what. Bloody superstitions.

[Vacuum]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

CHINESE New Year celebrations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are pumping heavy metals and other toxins into air already registering dangerously high level of pollutants.

Forbid it. They can celebrate their odd date for new year at home (China).

[Elkski]

So we need to live in mines under BKK.  But wait there is water 2-3 meters down .  

The instantaneous readings of pm2.5 are not what is uses in the aqm numbers.  There is some formula you can research the details about.   But it's relatively the same magnitude and 200 is terrible.    I had one of the initial  25 purpleair.com monitors in my backyard.  Yes the maker is a buddy of mine but I don't benefit financially.  

I have a fire pit in my backyard in one day I was having a campfire and he called me up and asked me what is wrong with my monitor, the reading was 350.   I looked back at my chart and  in the last hour it went from 30 to 350 . The sensor was about 15 m from the fire pit.   

since then I have a new appreciation for breathing the smoke around campfires or anything that is burning.   If there are a couple people willing to host a purple air monitor in Bangkok I'm sure I could get a very good discount and I am coming in 2 weeks.  I plan  to bring one and install it on Sukumvit SOI 55.    My buddy was selling so many units during the California fires.    

Edited February 5, 2019 by Elkski