Ulaan Bataar, capital city of Mongolia on Wednesday saw solid particles in the air reaching dangerous levels, with the most-polluted area registering an amount almost 13 times over the safety level set by the World Health Organization (WTO).

There were ‘catastrophic pollution’ ratings at five different locations in the city.  These included the Bayankhoshuu slum district where there was a rating of 898mg per cubic meter, and the Tolgoit slum district that had a rating of 513mg per cubic meter.  This is according to the country’s national agency for for meteorology and environment monitoring.

The city is no stranger to severe air pollution during winter in the past two decades, given its unfavorable meteorological conditions for pollutants to dissipate, and the heavy-dependence on coal in the large “ger districts” that surround the metropolitan region.

More than 800,000 residents, which is more than half of Ulan Bator’s population, live in tented “ger districts”. Most of the residents came from provinces to find a job in the capital city of Mongolia.

With them having little money, some of them burn plastics and old tires to stay warm and to cook meals during the long winter.

Since 2000, supported by various international organizations including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, the Mongolian government has spent millions of dollars on programs to reduce air pollution.