BEIJING, June 9 (UPI) -- An environmental group in China -- a nation boasting some of the world's dirtiest, most polluted air -- has developed a mobile app to measure and share air quality data for some 190 cities throughout the country.
The Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs is hopeful that the app will bolster whistleblowing efforts in China. More than just a public safety mechanism, the app is an attempt to publicly shame polluters by offering up-to-date info on emissions levels reported by factories to local authorities. The app will feature a map with color-coded pins marking the location of as many as 370 of the largest industrial companies and biggest pollution limit violators.