2016年CRI Smog Free Tower not cure for Beijing's air woes（在线收听）

Heavy smog shrouded Beijing on Wednesday October 19, and a yellow alert, the third-highest warning level, was issued by the environmental authorities on Tuesday, the Legal Daily reported.

The yellow alert means the Air Quality Index will exceed 200 for at least 48 hours. The problem had made a quick return, after the last round of smog cleared up on October 16.

The weather in Beijing is expected to improve from Thursday morning thanks to the arrival of a cold front.

Smog Free Tower, designed by a Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde,ispresented at Beijing 751D.Park. [Photo: Chinanews]

As many choose to use air purifiers indoors, a Dutch artist, Daan Roosegaarde is offering an eccentric solution which may bring people, especially children, a chance to breathe clean air outdoors.

He brought his newly designed Smog Free Tower which is said to be inspired by Chinese temples, to Beijing in early October. The 7-meter-high tower tested in Beijing contains an air-purifying machine that catches PM 2.5 particles, the main component of smog.

The machine takes in the particles, turns them into black powder and expels cleaner air. Roosegaarde said the tower "exhales" air that is 75 percent cleaner.

In spite of the Tower's presence in the city, Liu Guozheng, the general secretary of the China Forum of Environmental Journalists(CFEJ) said the Tower only addresses the symptoms of air pollution, not the cause.

Liu added that the key to curbing smog in Beijing is to reduce emissions, adjust industrial structures and adopt coal controls.

A view ofthe Central Business District at Jianguomenwai Avenue on Wednesday, Oct.19.[Photo: Chinanews]