BEIJING (Reuters) - More than 500 illegal outdoor barbecues, which Chinese state media say cause "serious air pollution", have been destroyed in Beijing as part of an emergency program to alleviate the city's often hazardous pollution. "Over 500 illegal barbecue grills in Beijing were destroyed on Tuesday amid the city's efforts to fight air pollution and lingering foggy weather," state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday. Pollution often reaches hazardous levels and can cause long-term health issues. Chinese health officials say that lung cancer rates are rising among the city's more than 20 million residents.
– Grilled lamb has become a scapegoat for Beijing's notorious air pollution, Reuters finds. Authorities say they have destroyed more than 500 open-air barbecues, which they claim seriously affects the city's air quality. State media showed photos of workers cutting apart the grills, many of which are operated by migrants from Xinjiang. The barbecue blitz was ridiculed online, with citizens suggesting that authorities do something about the factories and millions of vehicles creating pollution instead, the AP notes. Earlier this year, the pollution index in the city soared to 755—on a scale of 500.