Clearer skies but uptick in ozone pollution

SONGJIANG residents are pleased with more crystal-blue sky days this summer, but weather experts from the district’s environmental monitoring station warn about ozone density risks.

A crystal-blue sky occurs when air pollutants are at their minimum.

In 2021, Shanghai had 335 days with a good air quality index (AQI), or almost 92 percent of total days.

An AQI of 50 or lower represents good air quality.

Songjiang has created a comprehensive air-quality monitoring system that covers residential areas, industrial parks, commercial facilities and traffic hubs.

However, an above-normal ozone density value has replaced PM 2.5 particle density as the major concern regarding Shanghai’s air quality for five straight years, according to weather experts in Songjiang.

The ozone density in Songjiang in the first half of this year was about 95 micrograms per cubic meter, slightly higher than last year, according to Song Qiang, deputy chief of the Songjiang Environment Monitoring Station.

“We will focus more on ozone monitoring in the second half of 2022 while reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide,” Song added.

In addition, pollution from cooking fumes in the catering industry (for example smoke and fumes from a barbecue restaurant) is a major source of complaints from local residents every summer.

Thanks to strict monitoring and enforcement, Shanghai has reduced related complaints by 57 percent over the past five years.

“In Songjiang, complaints due to restaurant smoke and oil emissions that affect neighborhood environments have decreased by 60 percent year on year,” said Sheng Yuxin, deputy captain of the law enforcement brigade at the Songjiang Ecological Environment Bureau.