Environment Authority Shrugs off PM2.5 Storm

Nanjing's environment authority has dismissed the online controversy that it placed three PM2.5 air quality monitoring devices in green areas in order to release better results.

"All of the monitoring sites are surrounded by greenery. It's meaningless to monitor PM2.5 there," a netizen said. "It would be better for the city to put the devices in a sterile room if it wants a satisfying result."

The Environmental Monitoring Center of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, said it picked the three sites in compliance with the national standard, Yangtze Evening News reported yesterday.

According to state regulations, there should be no big source of pollution or buildings within 50 meters of the monitoring devices, Lu Xiaobo, engineer with the center said, rebutting the netizen's suggestion to put one near a road. The regulations also require the devices to be placed 15 to 25 meters above ground, Lu said.

The three devices were placed in different surroundings, and thus reflect a more accurate picture of PM2.5, Lu said. "Caochangmen area is the city's cultural and educational zone, Xuanwu Lake Park is a scenic spot and Xianlin University City is a mixed residential area," Lu said. "That's why we picked these sites."

A total of 17 air quality monitoring sites in Jiangsu that can read PM2.5 will begin releasing real time PM2.5 data at the end of this month, the report said.

The city's average PM2.5 count is around 63 micrograms per cubic meter yearly, around 80 percent higher than the new standard, according to the report.