With the onset of spring, the air in Bishkek clears up, and it seems that it is healthy and safe. But actually it is not. MoveGreen’s analysis, based on state monitoring data by KyrgyzHydromet, showed that residents of the capital breathed «polluted and dangerous» air most of the summer — 75 days out of 91 — last year.
24.kg news agency asked Inna Brusenskaya, an environmental engineer of the organization, what is the difference between winter and summer pollution.
— Air pollution in winter is more evident. The private sector is heated by low-quality coal with a high ash content, waste from the clothing industry and other garbage. Because of this, a lot of particulate pollutants are released into the air. The city is located in a geographical hollow, where the air stagnates in winter for various reasons, and air pollutants accumulate.
A smoldering landfill is also a constant contributor to air pollution. However, there is no air pollution monitoring around it for analysis.
After the end of the heating season, the air becomes cleaner and air pollution problem is forgotten. But this is wrong. In the warm season, gas pollution comes to the fore, which, by the way, is year-round.
Inna Brusenskaya
— What are these gases?
— Exceedance of the maximum permissible concentration of formaldehyde, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide by several times is registered in the capital in summer. As for other pollutants, unfortunately, measurements are fragmentary, so it is difficult to analyze them.
Note of 24.kg news agency
Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a pungent specific odor, highly toxic.
Nitric oxide is a colorless gas. It is toxic, as it combines with blood hemoglobin more strongly than oxygen.
Nitrogen dioxide is a brown gas. Its distinctive feature is a sharp suffocating smell.
Last summer, the amount of these harmful gases in the Bishkek air was high. For example, pollution with nitrogen oxide and dioxide exceeded the average daily maximum allowable concentration (MAC) 1.3-2.5 times. As for formaldehyde, the situation is generally catastrophic. During all months of the summer period, the MPC was exceeded 4–5.7 times.
In the summer, we breathe polluted and dangerous air 75-76 days out of 91. Only 5-6 days a month the concentration of these gases dropped to a level safe for humans.
Inna Brusenskaya
— Why are these gases dangerous to humans?
— These gases are harmful primarily to the respiratory system. If their concentration is high, then we can immediately begin to cough, sneeze, dizziness may appear. Such a situation can occur, for example, when you are standing at a crossroads. With prolonged exposure, they contribute to the development of diseases of the respiratory system: asthma, bronchitis, can cause skin irritation, allergies, and in some cases contribute to the development of certain forms of cancer.
They are classified as heavy, that is, they do not immediately escape into the atmosphere. There are such weather conditions, for example, calm, when particles do not dissipate, they descend to earth. Their highest concentration is observed at a height of 1.5-3 meters from the earth’s surface.
Such air is dangerous primarily for children who breathe these gases. Their concentration is especially high at the height of the child.
Inna Brusenskaya
— It turns out that the main source of gas pollution is road transport?
— Yes, according to the national report on the state of the environment, it accounts for more than 80 percent of pollutant gas emissions.
More than 400,000 motor vehicles are registered in the capital, about 2,000 minibuses transporting citizens move along the streets of the city every day. As a rule, our vehicles use fuel of a low ecological class, due to the combustion of which more gases are emitted. Another problem is that many cars drive withoutcatalytic converters, which clean the exhaust gases.
Particularly intensive traffic is concentrated in the central part of the city. Therefore, it is recommended to stay near busy roads and pedestrian crossings for no more than 20-30 minutes. Longer exposure is a health hazard.
— What should be done to improve air quality?
— It’s time for the Bishkek authorities to abandon the auto-centric policy, pay more attention to the development of the public transport system, construction of infrastructure for alternative means of transportation (for example, bicycles, scooters and others), pedestrians, landscaping, ban low-quality and diesel fuel, resume auto inspection, fight against chaotic buildings, due to which the ventilation of the city is disturbed.
It is also necessary to expand the monitoring of air pollution by gases, including from the Bishkek landfill, in order to have a complete picture of air pollution.
At the moment, such full monitoring is not carried out for various reasons, including financial ones.
