Air quality in Manila 'unhealthy' on New Year's Day

The air quality in the Philippines’ capital city has reached an “unhealthy” level on New Year’s Day due to air pollution, based on data by Swiss research firm IQair.

As of 12:00 noon, IQair said that the air quality index in Manila was at 167, with Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) being the main pollutant.

The company noted that the PM2.5 concentration of 78.4 µg/m³ was 15.7 times the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline value.

“PM2.5 particles are floating particulate matter in the air measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less. PM2.5 is so small it can be absorbed into the bloodstream upon inhalation. For this reason, it is typically the pollutant posing the greatest health threat,” IQair said.

The PM2.5 can come from combustion resulting from power plants, smoke and soot from wildfires and waste burning, vehicular emissions and combustion from motors, and industrial processes involving chemical reactions between gases.

Across the world, Manila ranked the 22nd city with the highest air pollution.

The IQAir thus advised the public to do the following:

• Avoid outdoor exercise.
• Close windows to avoid dirty outdoor air.
• Wear a mask outdoors.
• Run an air purifier.

Health risks

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) warned that low air quality may pose some health risks, especially for people who have comorbidities like asthma. 

“Itong mga fine particles na ‘to ay maaaring makarating o makapinsala sa ating bloodstream at sa ating respiratory system. Sa case ng pagpapaputok, meron ho ‘yang mga toxic substances na mga metal salts kung saan ito ho ay maaaring mag-cause ng cancer or carcinogen toxic materials,” Engr. Jundy del Socorro, chief of DENR-EMB’s air quality management office.

(These fine particles can reach or damage our bloodstream and our respiratory system. Fireworks, meanwhile, have toxic substances called metal salts that can cause cancer or carcinogen toxic materials.)

Now that the weather’s cooler, the DENR-EMB said that it may be more difficult for air pollutants to disperse. Raining, however, may help.

Socorro also advised people at risk to stay at home to prevent exposure to high levels of pollution.
—KG/RF, GMA Integrated News