Mongolia: New Heating Technology Struggles To Combat Pollution Scourge Eurasia Review | Eurasia Review: "In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) ranked Mongolia’s capital the world’s second most polluted city, after the Iranian city of Ahwaz, based on airborne levels of particulate matter that settles into the lungs and other vital organs. In winter, particulate matter concentrations can reach levels 50 to 60 times higher than recommended WHO standards.
The reason is coal. More than 70 percent of Ulaanbaatar’s residents live in unplanned settlements called ger districts – named for the traditional felt tents many live in, known elsewhere as yurts – and rely on coal-fired domestic stoves for heat. In December 2011, the World Bank said that 90 percent of winter emissions in the city came from domestic stoves and that air pollution was responsible for 27 percent of all deaths in the capital. The study proposed distributing low-emission stoves to help clean up the air."
'via Blog this'
