Beijing could ban 1 million cars from its roads for two weeks in August in order to test its smog-control measures ahead of next year's Olympics, the Wall Street Journal reported. If the plan is implemented, the cars – which make up a third of the city's total – would be taken out of circulation from August 7-20. Despite banning coal-burning furnaces and shifting power plants and a large steel mill outside city limits, China's capital remains clouded in a haze of pollution. It has just experienced its most polluted June in seven years, which has raised questions about the suitability of the environment for sporting events. Officials blame car exhaust fumes and farmers illegally burning crop stubble for the continuing problems. Every day 1,000 new cars hit the roads in Beijing, contributing to nitrogen dioxide levels that are at least 78% above World Health Organization clean-air guidelines.
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