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In Nairobi, the bustling city under the sun, with a skyline of magical hues are city dwellers oblivious of the air quality in their environs.
PM2.5 and black carbon are some of the most dangerous air pollutants found in major cities such as Nairobi.
Particulate matter (PM) is made up of small airborne particles like dust, soot and drops of liquids. Fine particles (PM2.5, particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter) penetrate deeper into the lungs and cause heart attacks, strokes, asthma, and bronchitis, as well as premature death from heart ailments, lung disease and cancer.
Studies show that higher PM2.5 exposure can restrict growth of babies in the womb and decrease lung function growth among young children.
Black carbon is one of the components of particulate matter and comes from burning fuel (especially diesel, wood, and coal). Most air pollution regulations focus on PM2.5, but exposure to black carbon is a serious health threat as well.
Monitoring sites
Populations with higher exposures such as matatu drivers, hawkers, and street food vendors to black carbon over a long period are at a higher risk for heart attacks and stroke. In addition, black carbon is associated with hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, and a variety of types of cancer. Black carbon is also a potent climate forcer.
Prolonged exposure to poor air quality can lead to respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health issues. It can also harm the environment, reduce visibility, and impact the quality of life in general. By caring about air quality, citizens can work together to reduce pollution, improve public health, and make their city a cleaner, healthier place to live.
The Clean Air Catalyst Program together with the US Agency for International Development, World Resources Institute and Nairobi City County Government launched two air quality monitoring sites in Nairobi, which include: Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and the Fire Station on Tom Mboya Street.
The monitoring sites are expected to support Nairobi City County to better understand the temporal and spatial variations of pollutants from both waste burning and public transport.
The Nairobi pilot will focus on monitoring particulate matter, black carbon and weather parameters in the two sites. The goal is to better understand the sources of air pollution, and its impact on health to devise strategies for improving air quality.
The two sites were chosen after CAC collected background information about the area including emission sources, demography, population density, security, land use pattern, meteorological and topographical information.
The fire station site is mainly aimed at monitoring the contribution of vehicles in Nairobi air pollution while Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital site will be monitoring the mixed sources including, household energy use, open waste burning and other
Regulatory air quality monitors provide data on the levels of various pollutants in the air, allowing authorities and communities to track trends and identify areas with high levels of pollution. This information can be used to prioritize clean air initiatives and target interventions where they are most needed.
Air quality monitoring data can help to identify the sources of pollution, including both human activities (such as emissions from transportation and industry) and natural phenomena. This information can inform strategies for reducing emissions and improving air quality.
Air quality monitoring data can be made publicly available, helping to raise awareness of air pollution and its impacts on health and the environment. This can encourage individuals, businesses, and communities to take action to reduce their own contributions to air pollution and to advocate for clean air policies.
Air quality monitors can drive clean air action by providing evidence on air pollution levels, helping to identify sources of pollution, raising awareness, informing policy, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.
This will help Nairobi city dwellers as well as visitors make informed decisions as the data will also be provided to the public and help reduce and end air pollution.
By Sarafina Robi