PETALING JAYA, Sept 4: Several cities and towns in almost all states in Malaysia have been recording poor air quality the past one week, with some places reaching unhealthy levels of PM2.5 pollutants, according to data in the IQAir World Air Quality website.
Based on Malaysia’s data today on IQAir, supplied by air stations monitored by the Department of Environment, some of the cities that recorded unhealthy air pollution index (API) are Sri Aman in Sarawak with an API of 182, Kuching (176), Shah Alam 161, Kuala Lumpur and Nilai, Seremban 157 respectively. In Jerantut, Pahang, the reading was 142, and in Tanjung Malim, Perak it was 145.
Also hitting above 100 in API, were Besut, Jerteh in Terengganu (110), Kuala Terengganu (120), Taiping, Perak (120), Gelugor in Georgetown (104), Seberangjaya, Perak (139), Kulim, Kedah (110).
Air pollution indices of more than 100 indicates an unhealthy environment for the sensitive group, while readings above 150 is unhealthy.
Many factors can be attributed for the drop in air quality, ranging from fires to vehicle and industrial emissions to deforestation.
The PM2.5 readings, which indicate the level of fine particulates in the polluted air, in many of these places were also well past the World Health Organization (WHO)’s guidance.
Shah Alam as of mid Monday recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 74.2µg/m³, which was 14.8 times the WHO’s air quality guideline value. It was also a jump from a jump from a reading of 50.9 on Saturday, Sept 2. Air quality index was also lower at 139 on Saturday.
Air pollution has been indicated as a serious health risk and breathing in fine particles has been established as a factor in increasing respiratory ailments as well as health problems like heart dieseases, asthma as well as long term damages to other organs in a human.
The 5th Annual World Air Quality Report published in March this year, said only six countries met the WHO PM2.5 guideline (annual average of 5 µg/m3 or less), namely Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland and New Zealand.
Apart from the major air pollution contributors like industrial activities, emissions from vehicles, construction, forest clearings, open burning and fires, the issue of transboundary haze brought on by slash and burn practices by farmers and peat fires blown by the wind from neighouring countries have been also contributing to air pollution in the country.
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