Air Pollution in The UAE - Sharing of factsby | 14-09-2015 16:15 |
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![]() ![]() Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. Car emissions, chemicals from factories, dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as particles. Ozone, a gas, is a major part of air pollution in cities. When ozone forms air pollution, it's also called smog. (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/airpollution.html) As reported in The National Newspaper on 29-Jun-15, the Air pollution levels in the UAE are safe for residents. This was stated by Mr. Fahad Hareb, director of air quality at the Ministry of Environment and Water. This is a great reprieve to all the media speculations that AIR quality of UAE is unsafe. In fact this country has taken tangible efforts to improve the ambient air quality. WHO has set the air quality guidelines & UAE has targeted to meet 90% of the set guidelines by 2021. There are a big number of air quality monitoring stations [46 to be precise]. In addition to this Stone Crusher, Quarry sites, Cement factories are regularly monitored for the air quality around their complexes. As such they are constructed well outside the city dwelling limits but still air pollution needs to be monitored & controlled. (http://www.thenational.ae/uae/uae-air-pollution-levels-safe-for-residents-ministry-says) The major cause of Air pollution is airborne dust particles & Sand storms, thus is more natural than man-made but still UAE is making all efforts to check & curb this. Many of such cases can be avoided by remaining in-doors, when these sand Storms occur & covering face & nose. Another form comprises of Emissions of cars. This is great problem as well. To check this UAE Govt. has taken a variety of measures viz. Electric Cars, Cars running on Natural Gas [you will be amazed to know that many of Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority vehicles run on Natural Gas], Hybrid Taxis. Smoking is banned in all the Malls, Public Transport, Parks & inside all government buildings. [Smoking also causes its own bit of Air Pollution.] Majority of these measures are covered by many of our UAE Ambassadors by way of useful reports from time to Time. I agree this is not enough & lot of work is required to be done. But I assure that UAE is moving in right & definite direction to control & manage the Air Pollution levels. |