Dutch Artist 'Turning Beijing's Smog Into Diamonds'

(IDEX Online) – The Chinese capital, well known for its air pollution, could get rid of some its smog and turn it into diamonds to be set into jewelry, according to a report.

Dutch artist and designer Daan Roosegaarde’s 'Smog Free Tower' has opened in Beijing, according to a Bloomberg report. Using a positive ionization process, the air-cleaning tower captures tiny particles suspended in the air and filters them out.

Since more than 40 percent of the collected pollution is carbon, he has struck on a novel innovation: using high pressure to convert the residue to diamonds, which can be sold as jewelry.

Just one of the 23-foot high towers is currently in operation. But as China looks to invest more money in reducing pollution and improving quality of life, Roosegaarde expects to add hundreds more around the world’s most populous nation.

“You could say it’s the largest smog vacuum cleaner in the world,” Roosegaarde told Bloomberg Television. “China will invest billions and billions of dollars in the war on smog.”