Amid heightened concerns of the health effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the Ministry of the Environment released interim public health safety guidelines on Feb. 27 in a rush to meet a self-imposed deadline of “the end of February”. Given the lack of scientific data on the issue, the Ministry will continue its data collection efforts. In September 2009, the Ministry set a daily average standard of 35 mg/m3 for PM2.5 based on standards set previously in the United States. At that time, it also decided to collect five years worth of data, but reports of pollution in Beijing earlier this year led to a barrage of inquiries from local governments and citizens, forcing the Ministry’s hand. The new guidelines advise people to stay indoors when the average daily PM2.5 concentrations exceed 70 mg/m3. On Feb. 15, Fukuoka City began offering PM2.5 advisories based on the Ministry’s daily standard of 35 mg/m3, but under the new government standards, prefectures are asked to advise people to avoid going outside only when concentrations top double that amount. A city official said a meeting would be held to decide whether the city would continue issuing its own advisories or combine them with the prefectural warnings. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Feb. 28
