Air pollution is so severe that it creates a deep fog in some large Chinese cities, and pedestrians walk around wearing masks. City officials have begun to restrict car and truck traffic as a solution to the problem. However, vehicles are not the only reason for falling air quality. The burning of coal is also a contributor.

According to the South China Post, Teng Fei, an associate professor at Tsinghua University, said:

Tiny particulate pollutants, especially those smaller than 2.5 micrograms (known as PM2.5), were linked to 670,000 premature deaths from four diseases — strokes, lung cancer, coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — in China in 2012.

Teng said that these figures were based on coal consumption. So, they do not include pollution caused by the millions of cars and light trucks that move in and out of urban areas. Also, the numbers probably became worse in 2013 and so far in 2014. They will get worse over the rest of this year and for the foreseeable future.

Economists debate what could cause a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy, which has been fueled largely by manufacturing. Ironically, this success has caused the pollution problem. To stop its spread will require cutbacks in this manufacturing.

China has a dilemma. The lifeblood of its growth is also the cause of one of its greatest challenges.

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