City-level synergy and co-benefits of mitigating CO emissions and air pollution in China.

Synergistic control of carbon emissions and pollutant concentrations can efficiently tackle climate change and air pollution. The synergistic performance and co-benefits yielded by controlling these factors are urgent and critical issues in China. Accordingly, a comprehensive indicator for assessing synergistic performance is pioneered, and co-benefits of mitigating CO and PM in Chinese cities are evaluated.

Modelling monthly-gridded carbon emissions based on nighttime light data.

Timely and accurate implementation of carbon emissions (CE) analysis and evaluation is necessary for policymaking and management. However, previous inventories, most of which are yearly, provincial or city, and incomplete, have failed to reflect the spatial variations and monthly trends of CE. Based on nighttime light (NTL) data, statistical data, and land use data, in this study, a high-resolution (1 km × 1 km) monthly inventory of CE was developed using back propagation neural network, and the spatiotemporal variations and impact factors of CE at multiple administrative levels was evaluated using spatial autocorrelation model and spatial econometric model.

Health effects of future dioxins emission mitigation from Chinese municipal solid waste incinerators.

Dioxins (including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, as Group 1 Carcinogen) in the atmosphere mainly originate from incomplete combustion during municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration. To significantly reduce dioxins emission from the MSW incineration industry, China has promulgated a set of ambitious plans regulating MSW-related pollution; however, the emission reduction potentials and concomitant environmental and health impacts associated with the implementation of these programs on a national scale remain unknown. Here, we use real measurements from official environmental impact assessment systems and continuous emissions monitoring systems (covering 96.

Cost-benefits analysis of ultra-low emissions standard on air quality and health impact in thermal power plants in China.

As China's largest energy infrastructure, thermal power plant consumed approximately half of China's coal over the past decade and threatened air quality, human health and socioeconomic development. Thus, a series of control policies have been implemented to alleviate those impacts in China. Particularly, China has witnessed unprecedented declines in air pollutant emissions from thermal power plants since the ultra-low emissions (ULE) standards were implemented.

Air pollutant emissions and reduction potentials from municipal solid waste incineration in China.

China fully implemented the new emission standards in 2016 to further reduce the emissions of air pollutants from the municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration industry; however, the implementation effect of the new standards remains unknown. This study developed the first nationwide air pollutant emission inventory of MSW incineration plants in China based on the measured concentration data from China's continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) network, and activity level data from the China Urban Construction Statistical Yearbook, to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the new emission standards and estimate the future reduction potentials. Our results demonstrated that the overall standard-reaching proportions of particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO), nitrogen oxide (NO), hydrogen chloride (HCl) and carbon monoxide (CO) were 98.

Characteristics, correlations and health risks of PCDD/Fs and heavy metals in surface soil near municipal solid waste incineration plants in Southwest China.

As primary anthropogenic emission source of toxic pollutants such as heavy metals and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration has caused worldwide concern. However, a comprehensive analysis of the pollution characteristics and health risks of PCDD/Fs and heavy metals in soils around MSW incineration plants is lacking. In this study, 17 PCDD/Fs and 11 heavy metals in soil samples collected near MSW incineration plants in Sichuan province were investigated to evaluate their pollution characteristics and potential health risk.