China’s air pollution is making its way across the Pacific Ocean to the western U.S., according to a new study.

The study, published in Nature Geoscience, shows that ozone pollution has been traveling across the ocean to the U.S. While the western U.S. has cut back on the nitrogen oxide, which combines with sunlight and volatile organic chemicals to form ozone air pollution, these reductions were however offset by China’s traveling pollution.

“The dominant westerly winds blew this air pollution straight across to the United States,” explained lead research Willem Verstraeten of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.

“In a manner of speaking, China is exporting its air pollution to the West Coast of America,” he said in a statement.

Researchers studied the trophosphere, the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, known to have the lowest levels of ozone. The study found that ozone levels had increased by 7 percent between 2005 and 2010.

Ozone pollution contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and closer to the ground it creates respiratory problems. It can make it more difficult to breathe, cause shortness of breath, scratchy throat, increase the frequency of asthma attacks, and cause lung infections. It can even damage the lungs once these symptoms have disappeared.

Another study last year showed that China’s traveling air pollution accounted for 12 to 24 percent of sulfate concentrations on the West Coast.

China poor air quality has already created major issues internally. Nearly 90 percent of the major cities in China failed to meet air quality standards in 2014, according to a report from the country’s Minister of Environmental Protection. The report found that 66 of 74 major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin did not meet standards. The Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing, is home to the 10 worst cities in terms of air pollution.

The “pea soup” smog which blankets the northern cities is small enough to get into people’s lungs and bloodstreams, impacting public heath. And even tourism has felt the pangs of the dirty air with grounded flights and closed highways. It’s been described as looking like a nuclear winter. And much of it is due to manufacturing.

According to Think Progress:

Manufacturing for export was also responsible for 27 percent of its nitrogen oxide emissions, 17 percent of its black carbon and 22 percent of its carbon monoxide. Since the United States is among China’s top trading partners, that means that the country plays a role in these manufacture for export emissions. The United States has also exported much of its manufacturing to China, which means that the creation of products designed by U.S. companies happens there and not in the U.S.

While new federal standards have reduced ozone pollution in the Western U.S., partnering with China to reduce pollution is key. The U.S. also needs to recognize its role in China’s manufacturing.

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Nearly 90 percent of the major cities in China have failed to meet air quality standards in 2014, according to a new report by the country’s Minister of Environmental Protection. The report found that 66 of 74 major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin did not meet standards. The Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing, is home to the 10 worst cities in terms of air pollution.

The only positive was that according to the report, 2014 had 3.7 percent fewer “severely polluted” days compared to 2013. The bulk of the country’s most polluted cities are located in the north. On the other hand, the Hainan Province, an island in southern China, boasted the nation’s best air quality and the least air pollution.

China is well known for its urban pollution, which in some cases is at toxic levels. The pollution measures include regular readings of particles found in the air as well as carbon monoxide and ozone. Chinese scientists have already warned that the toxic soup of pollution is slowing photosynthesis and as a result, hurting agricultural production.

The “pea soup” smog which blankets the northern cities is small enough to get into people’s lungs and bloodstreams, impacting public heath. And even tourism has felt the pangs of the dirty air with grounded flights and closed highways. It’s been described as looking like a nuclear winter.

One man, Li Guixin, is even suing the government as a result of the pollution. “Besides the threat to our health, we’ve also suffered economic losses, and these losses should be borne by the government and the environmental departments because the government is the recipient of corporate taxes, it is a beneficiary,” he told the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily, according to The Guardian.

The problem is enough to motivate real change in a country that has grown at an astonishing rate. Reducing smog in China will take huge acts like tightening control over power plant emissions and capping coal consumption. Inefficient coal fired industrial boilers need to be shut down and cleaner fuel standards need to be introduced. China is also ideal grounds for the growth of the electric car. And finally, improved urban planning needs to include more green space.

Coal causes the majority of China’s emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. So what better place to expand zero emission energy sources like wind and solar? This expansion, along with phasing out coal power, would make the biggest difference in air quality in these highly populated areas. I hope this motivates China to take steps in the right direction to get a hold on smog, especially in the northern cities.

What do you think of China’s pollution problems and what would you do to fix them? Do you take your air quality for granted and have you ever lived with bad air quality?

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