ISLAMABAD: Health experts have warned citizens to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities as hazardous pollutants beyond permissible limits have been recorded in the capital’s air.

Air with high pollutant ratio is injurious to the health of children, teenagers and elderly people while patients of lung and heart diseases are at a high risk, medical practitioners said.

According to data released by the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), particulate of 2.5 microns (PM2.5), which is a hazardous ambient air pollutant causing chronic respiratory diseases and premature deaths, was higher than the safer limits in the capital’s air.

PM2.5 was recorded 78.44 micrograms per cubic metre in Islamabad, which is much higher than 35 micrograms per cubic metre set by the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of 20 micrograms per cubic metre.

The air quality data revealed the presence of 43.16 micrograms of sulphur dioxide and 33.58 micrograms of nitrogen dioxide per cubic metre against 120 micrograms and 80 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively, set by NEQS.

According to an EPA official, the prevailing dry weather and increased vehicular emissions were the main reason for the bad air quality. It was the most health damaging environmental pollutant causing chronic respiratory diseases and premature deaths as it could easily penetrate into human blood through lungs cells, the official said.

The sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are released from industrial emissions and car engines at different concentrations that accumulated into the ambiance causing air pollution.

She said the federal capital’s air quality was commendable during the lockdown as vehicular emissions had drastically reduced.

The main reason for air pollution is the large number of vehicles on the capital’s roads emitting combustion gases, she added.

She said the EPA regularly monitored the capital’s air quality, which was found unhealthy during dry weather, storm or pre-rain like situation. People should wear face masks and sunglasses during outdoor visits when the pollution level is recorded high, she added.

A senior pulmonologist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) expressed serious concern over the presence of hazardous pollutants in Islamabad’s air as they caused respiratory diseases and serious health complications.

He said people should be careful during the dry weather and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. Use of face mask or covering is the best remedy to avoid air pollution contact while sunglasses during daytime helped prevent eye rashes or allergy due to dust and pollutants, he added.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2021