Air pollution worsens again, locals advised to limit outdoor activities
VOV.VN - Air pollution has been worsening in Northern Vietnam in recent days due to unfavorable weather along with significant sources of emissions.
On January 2 morning, air quality in the capital city of Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, and other Red River Delta provinces was colour-coded purple (very unhealthy) on VN Air, the air quality monitoring system of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
In Hanoi, VN Air turned purple at two monitoring points - 556 Nguyen Van Cu and the gate of Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
The air quality monitoring system of the US Embassy in Hanoi also recorded an AQI above 500 (extremely hazardous) at a site on Tu Hoa Street in Tay Ho District.
Meanwhile, the global air quality tracking application Air Visual showed that Hanoi was the second most polluted city in the world on January 2 morning, only behind Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Notably, Hanoi’s pollution level surpassed other cities that are usually at the top of the list, such as Delhi (India) and Karachi (Pakistan).
The purple pollution level also covered other localities in Northern Vietnam. In Thai Nguyen, all four monitoring points in both Thai Nguyen City and Song Cong District showed purple levels. Other provinces such as Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, and Bac Giang also recorded purple-level air pollution.
According to experts, air pollution in Vietnam is sourced from transportation, industrial production and craft villages, construction activities, and household activities such as burning trash, straw, and joss paper.
In addition, air pollution is partly caused by unfavourable weather conditions. Factors such as stagnant air, low wind speeds, and temperature inversions contribute to the accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere, trapping them close to the ground.
This worsens the air quality, especially during the winter months, when the combination of industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, and other pollutants becomes more concentrated due to limited air circulation.
Expert have suggested several solutions to address such pollution in Hanoi and other cities in Vietnam, including encouraging people to use public transportation (busses and metro trains); applying green building standards; relocating polluting factories from the city centre; banning and handling the open burning of waste and straw, especially during harvest seasons; and limiting the burning of joss papers, especially during holidays and festivals.
They have also proposed enhancing public awareness and community education about the harmful effects of air pollution and how to protect health during periods of high pollution, such as wearing protective masks and avoiding outdoor activities in highly polluted times.
The Ministry of Health says when the air quality index is in the purple range (between 201-300), people should avoid prolonged outdoor activities or strenuous physical activities. People are encouraged to stay indoors and, if going outside, to use masks that can prevent fine dust.
They are also advised to perform nasal hygiene and gargle with saline solution in the morning and evening, especially after going outside, and to rinse the eyes with saline solution at night before going to bed.
