Air Pollution: Kenya

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Air Pollution: Kenya
by Yvonne Wabai \| 01-05-2019 04:13 1
Air pollution is the presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects. It can be outdoor (ambient) or indoor. Outdoor air pollution causes more than 3 million premature deaths globally each year and increases the risk of respiratory diseases and cardiovascular conditions while indoor air pollution causes 4.3 million premature deaths globally each globally each year. Data on air pollution in Kenya ia very scarce and particulate data is available only for the city of Nairobi. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that the level of fine particulate matter in the city’s outdoor air is 17 µg/m3, 70% above the recommended maximum level. WHO's database on Nairobi goes as far back as 2009. According to this data, more than 18,000 premature deaths in Kenya every year are due to air pollution. Kenya lacks real-time, sufficient, and publicly accessible air quality monitoring networks. Data usually comes from private and multilateral institutions like UNEP. Major sources of population are population growth and urbanization. These can be broken down into: traffic, waste, road dust, industry, and solid fuels. According to the World Bank, more than 80% of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa use solid fuels such as wood and charcoal for cooking. Almost half of the 7 million people who died from air pollution worldwide in 2016 were due to inhaling smoke from biomass-fuelled cookstoves like those used widely in Kenya and many African countries. Going forward, Kenya needs to monitor air pollution in real-time. It also needs to come with effective policies to reduce the sources of air pollution.

Dormant user Yvonne Wabai

4 Comments

Kushal Naharki

Kushal Naharki says :
Hello Yvonne

Thank you for your report about air pollution in kenya. I believe that together we can beat air pollution. we can't stop breathing but we can stop pollution.

Green Cheers from Nepal :)
Keep writing great reports.
We are eager to read more reports from you.

Regards,
Kushal Naharki

Posted 17-06-2019 04:42

Eco Generation says :
Greetings Yvonne,

It is agreeable that Kenya should monitor their air pollution at real-time, for its condition is quite severe at the moment.
Also, the people of Sub-Saharan Africa should keep down their use of solid fuels as it adds onto the increasing level of air pollution.

Sincerely,
Eco Generation

Posted 07-05-2019 16:17

Wonhee Mentor says :
Hello Yvonne

Thank you for sharing your report about air pollution in Kenya and the lack of air quality monitoring system. As you pointed out, air pollution is causing so many premature deaths in the world even though many people don't realize its seriousness. I strongly agree that Kenya should implement systematic air quality monitoring system and announce it. Thank you for your report again! Keep up the good work.

Wonhee Mentor

Posted 02-05-2019 17:06

Asmita Gaire says :
Hello Yvonne
Most of the reports I have read that repeatedly included about urbanization as one of the major problems for air pollution. It shows while we are making changes for nation civilization we are lacking behind.

Thank you so much for this wonderful report.
Green cheers!
Posted 02-05-2019 09:51