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Record pollution in Hanoi instills fear in locals

Record pollution in Hanoi instills fear in locals

Saturday, March 05, 2016, 16:32 GMT+7

An air quality reading on Tuesday by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi recorded a ‘hazardous’ air quality index at one point during the day, causing worry among local residents.

The embassy had earlier announced on their official site the installation of an air quality monitor to measure PM2.5 particulates as an indication of the air quality at its building at 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District.

PM, or Particulate Matter, is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. PM2.5 particulates are fine particles with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers or less.

PM2.5 readings are converted into an Air Quality Index (AQI) value, which shows the level of pollution the monitored air suffers on a scale from 0 to 500, with 500 being the most polluted.

An AQI level of 388 was recorded at 9:00 am on March 1 in Hanoi, which means the air quality was ‘hazardous’ and could lead to serious health effects on those living in it.

The alarming number sparked concerns among Hanoians, who were worried that pollution in the capital was getting as bad as that in Beijing.

“It’s not precise to say Hanoi is as badly polluted as Beijing, though the pollution level recorded in the Vietnamese capital has exceeded safety levels by 1-1.5 times,” Hoang Duong Tung, deputy general director of the Vietnam Environment Administration, told Tuoi Tre on Friday.

“Some people used the air quality reading recorded at the peak hour in Hanoi to compare with the average reading monitored in 24 hours in Beijing, which led to the misunderstanding,” Tung explained.

The recorded PM2.5 concentration was also three times the safe level recommended by the National Technical Regulation on Ambient Air Quality, and seven times the World Health Organization’s recommended level.

A security personnel walks near Tiananmen Gate on a heavily hazy day in Beijing October 24, 2014.  REUTERS/Jason Lee

A security personnel walks near Tiananmen Gate in a heavily hazy day in Beijing October 24, 2014. Photo: Reuters

Tung said there could be various reasons, such as a big wind carrying large amounts of dirt, which could have caused the peak, and such factors were not consistent throughout the day.

The U.S. Embassy also noted that the data only provides an accurate measurement of the air quality in the part of Hanoi close to the diplomatic mission, and that citywide analysis cannot be done with input from a single monitor.

The AQI level recorded at the embassy over the course of March 1 and 2 fluctuated between 114 and 388, consistently staying above 150 during the day, a level categorized as unhealthy by AUI standards and that can cause detrimental health effects.

According to deputy general director Tung, the air quality in Hanoi is being monitored on a daily basis, with excessive PM and ozone concentrations named leading factors that are polluting the capital’s atmosphere.

Pham Van Khanh, deputy director of Hanoi’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, asserted that air pollution in Hanoi has not seen much improvement, answering a question from Tuoi Tre about the solution to the contamination issue.

According to Khanh, a series of comprehensive methods which include emissions control, vehicle inspection, and congestion reduction must be applied in order to battle worsening pollution.

City officials are also increasing the coverage of trees to improve local air quality, Khanh said.

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