Islamabad: The ongoing dry weather spell in the capital city, with its increasing humidity and traffic emission levels, is the reason behind the city’s unhealthy air quality index since November – and hazardous pollutants ratio is recorded to be beyond the permissible rates, according to news sources.
The air quality details released by the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has shown a worrisome high value of particulate matter of 2.5 microns (PM 2.5). According to reports, the particulate matter in air has exceeded both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS)’s prescribed acceptable values. The NEQS has a limit of 35 micrograms/ meter cube (mg/m³) and WHO’s guideline stipulates that PM 2. 5 not exceed 10 μg/ m³ annual mean, or 25 μg/ m³ 24-hour mean.
The PM 2.5 has increased the permissible ratio of 35 mg/m³ and was recorded highest ever in the capital (63.02 mg/m³). A WHO report in this regard, claims that the PM 2.5 is a hazardous pollutant that may penetrate in human blood.
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