Air quality in Quang Ngai

What is the air quality index of Quang Ngai?

Quang Ngai is a city located in central Vietnam and is the capital city of the province that bears its name. It covers an area of approximately 160 square kilometres and had a population of 260,000 in 2019.

Towards the end of December 2020, the air quality index registered a figure of 55 US AQI which is classed as “Moderate” according to recommended figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The main pollutant was PM2.5 with a concentration level of 14.1 µg/m³, (microns per cubic metre).

Why Quang Ngai is polluted?

Many factories in Tinh Phong Industrial Park cause environmental pollution. Not only from the Quang Ngai starch factory but also from the Dong Khanh Plastics Factory and the Puzơlan Factory. These are located near schools and residential areas and when in operation emit a large amount of smoke and dust, causing environmental pollution, affecting the lives of people and students. In addition, wastewater from the Tinh An Tay handicraft village cluster is discharged directly to the Chan canal, Son Tinh district, causing bad odours, heavily polluting water sources, seriously affecting people's daily life. It is believed that the dust is caused by the drying of the wheat residue by the factory and expelled into the surrounding environment.

Is air pollution in Quang Ngai getting worse?

One particular factory discharges dust to the outside, the wind blows and carries it everywhere, windows must always be closed and clothes cannot be dried outside because if they are exposed to the dirty air, it only takes a few minutes for the clothes to be covered with dust, and it is very itchy on the skin.

The air right now is seriously polluted. Especially in developing cities. Specifically, the air is polluted by polluted particles. Most of the airborne particles are the result of a complex chemical reaction. Emitted from factories, industrial parks and vehicles. They can even come from construction sites, factory chimneys and forest fires thousands of kilometres away. Because the content of toxic emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and heavy metals in the air is high. According to statistics, there are places 9 times higher than the level of normal pollution.

Many of these factories use old and very basic machinery and other equipment. They are not fitted with the new technologies that are now available and are standard fitments to most modern machinery. Retrofitting can be possible in some cases, but very often it is too expensive and just too difficult to do.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Quang Ngai?

According to the Vietnam Environment Administration, the air quality index (AQI) is a simplified measure of the level of air pollution. This index is calculated from observed parameters of airborne pollutants, to show the state of air quality and the extent to which it affects human health, expressed in a scale.

There are many consequences to the earth. An ecosystem is an area where populations live and interact with each other. Environmental pollution will lead to the regulation of altered ecosystems. The main threat and direct impact on the ecosystem is air pollution. This can lead to acid rain that destroys forests. Although it does not lead to extinction, death will result in a decrease in species structure. In addition, the deteriorating air quality is also the cause of dangerous environmental events on earth. Such as puncturing the ozone layer, causing greenhouse effects, causing climate change, forest fires and melting ice.

Every person can contribute to reducing air pollution by regularly using public transport. At the same time be conscious in protecting the living environment. Plant trees around the home and workplace. Trees block a lot of dust from the surrounding environment. It also creates more oxygen for the living environment. Public transport is given priority. A car air purifier can filter some of the outside air and provide a cleaner air environment. In addition, the use of public transport also contributes to reducing emissions.

Limit the use of solid fuel stoves for cooking and avoid burning organic matter and garbage. Even incense sticks produce PM2.5 particles and black carbon (BC).

What are the effects on health through breathing in Quang Ngai’s polluted air?

The air quality is often very poor nowadays. In the polluted air, there are toxins discharged by vehicles. Including carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), benzene, lead, heavy metals and some other toxins. Polluted air can cause direct harm to human health. Especially in certain organs such as blood vessels, bone marrow, spleen, heart and lungs. In particular, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are most susceptible to being affected the most from air pollution.

According to research by the World Medical Organisation (WHO), the human body only has a self-defence mechanism for large dust particles. Particulate matter of sizes larger than 10 microns, however, dust sizes between 0.01 and 5 microns can become trapped in the trachea and alveoli. In which, PM2.5 fine dust is the most dangerous pollutant to human health. This dust has a microscopic size. Therefore, it can easily penetrate deep into the human body having serious effects on human health.

This is the first and most noticeable effect on people affected by air pollution. Breathing the polluted smoke and dust places a heavy burden on the lungs, making them more susceptible to damage. It can also exacerbate symptoms in certain diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. One study also concluded that the prevalence of asthma in children living near polluted areas is much higher than in other regions. In addition, many studies have determined that air pollution affects respiration at both acute and chronic levels. In an acute degree, causing symptoms such as coughing and wheezing and in a chronic condition, air pollution can lead to asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Under the impact of polluted air such as factory emissions, the blood vessels will be reduced in size, constricting blood circulation. Air pollution also increases the risk of blood clots in the arteries - the main cause of myocardial infarction or heart attacks.