But WHO says Singapore one of region's better places; most-polluted city in the world is in Iran
Straits Times 28 Sep 11;
GENEVA: Asian countries fare poorly when it comes to air pollution, although Bhutan, Japan and Singapore rank among the better places, according to the World Health Organisation's first global survey.
Cities in Canada and the US were rated among the best, while those in the Middle East were among the worst. The south- western Iranian city of Ahwaz in fact walked away with the unfortunate distinction of having the highest measured level of airborne particles smaller than 10 micrometres.
WHO released the list on Monday, to highlight the need to reduce outdoor air pollution, which is estimated to cause 1.34 million premature deaths each year.
The global body said investments to lower pollution levels quickly pay off because of lower disease rates and, therefore, lower health-care costs.
The list, which relies on country-reported data over the past several years, measures the concentration of airborne particles smaller than 10 micrometres - so-called PM10s - for almost 1,100 cities.
WHO recommends an upper limit of 20 micrograms for PM10s, which can cause serious respiratory problems in humans. They are mostly sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide from power plants, vehicle exhausts and industry.
The world average for PM10 was estimated to be 71 micrograms per cu m.
Singapore's outdoor air pollution level was significantly lower at 32 micrograms per cu m, for 2009, the latest available figures. And this was an improvement over the pollution five years ago, when it was estimated to be 48 micrograms per cu m.
Still the Republic was behind Bhutan - which at 18 micrograms per cu m had the lowest levels of pollution in Asia - and Japan, with 22 micrograms per cu m.
Cities in Pakistan and India, such as Quetta and Kanpur, and the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator fared among the worst on the pollution scale.
Mr Mohammad Hasan, 39, of Karachi, Pakistan, said attempts to improve air quality in the port city of 18 million - such as by replacing heavily polluting buses with vehicles using compressed natural gas - are being undermined by bigger polluters which are 'playing havoc with the lives of Karachi's populace'.
'Industries and factories are emitting thick clouds of smoke, and no government agency is out there to check them or correct them,' the bank employee said.
Elsewhere in the region, pollution in heavily populated China, at 98 micrograms per cu m, was way above the world average.
China's Environmental Protection Ministry said in a report last year that a third of the nation's 113 cities surveyed failed to meet national air standards. And a World Bank report said 16 of the world's 20 cities with the worst air are located in China, which relies heavily on coal to meet its energy needs.
Myanmar, with 94 micrograms per cu m, and Indonesia, with 55 micrograms per cu m, figured among countries with the most pollution in South-east Asia.
The WHO said the reasons for high pollution levels varied, but that often rapid industrialisation and the use of poor quality fuels for transportation and electricity generation are to blame.
In India, major metropolitan areas such as New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have banned the construction of new power plants within city limits, while existing ones are being shut down or relocated.
But at the same time, a lack of public transport has led to an explosion of privately owned cars and SUVs as the economy booms, with the number of heavily polluting diesel vehicles increasing 10-fold, as diesel is highly subsidised by the government.
At the other end of the list are cities in Canada and the United States, which benefit from lower population density, favourable climates and stricter air pollution regulation.
Estonia topped the list with the best air quality, at 11 micrograms per cu m, Mauritius ranked second, with 12 micrograms, and Australia tied with Canada for the third spot, on 13 micrograms per cu m.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Singapore's air is the cleanest in region but ...
Today Online 28 Sep 11;
SINGAPORE - While the air in Singapore is cleaner than it is in other South-east Asian countries, the Republic's outdoor air pollution reading exceeds the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended air quality guidelines, according to a report on about 1,100 cities released by the global body yesterday.
However, in a press release, the WHO noted that "only a few cities currently meet the WHO guideline values" - only 10 countries made the cut.
The report looked at how many tiny air pollutant particles - PM10 particles - were recorded floating in the air in each city.
Singapore's PM10 reading came in at 32 micrograms per cubic metre of air, above the WHO's guidelines, which call for PM10 readings below 20 micrograms per cu m.
In contrast, countries like Estonia - which topped the list - and Australia have some of the best air in the world, with PM10 readings of 11 and 13 per cu m respectively, while in Asia, Japan had a reading of 22.
The data, collected from government agencies worldwide, was dated between 2003 and last year.
The WHO said outdoor air pollution is estimated to cause 1.34 million premature deaths each year and that investments to lower pollution levels quickly paid off due to lower disease rates and, therefore, lower healthcare costs.
The reasons for high pollution levels varied but rapid industrialisation and the use of poor quality fuels for transportation and electricity generation are often to blame, it said.
PM10 particles come mostly from power plant and auto exhaust emissions, and can penetrate into the lungs where they may cause cancer, asthma and acute lower respiratory infections.
They can also enter the bloodstream, leading to heart disease, research suggests.
In South-east Asia, Thailand's PM10 reading was 41, with Bangkok's air being more polluted than that in other Thai cities, at 54.
Malaysia's reading was 42, while Indonesia's reading was 55. The air was significantly worse in Medan, which had a PM10 reading of 111, compared to 43 in Jakarta.
Bejing's reading soared above China's national PM10 reading of 91, at 121, while Shanghai's reading was 81.
The Republic of Korea had a reading of 61.
Cities in Iran, India and Pakistan have some of the worst polluted air on the planet.
The Iranian city of Ahvaz had the highest measured levels of PM10 particles in the world, at 372 per cu m of air, while the reading for New Delhi stood at 198. The reading for Islamabad, in Pakistan was 189.
On the other end of the list are cities in Canada and the United States, benefitting from lower population density, favourable climates and stricter air pollution regulation.
The PM10 reading for Canada was 13, while the reading for the US was 18, with the worst reading coming from Bakersfield, California, at 38. AGENCIES
