Air quality in Kyiv: improving in the north, not yet normalized in the south
Kyiv • UNN
Air quality is improving in the northern part of Kyiv, but the situation remains difficult in the south and southeast. The concentration of dust particles is 5 times higher than normal due to fires in the ecosystems of 3 regions.
Air quality is improving in the northern part of Kyiv. In the southern and southeastern parts of the capital, the situation has not yet normalized. The concentration of dust particles, which is currently the main pollutant in the city, is five times higher than normal. This was stated during a briefing on Friday by Oleksandr Voznyi, Director of the Department of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Adaptation of KCSA, UNN reports.
Details
"The air quality in Kyiv is deteriorating. Initially, this deterioration was recorded in the northern part of the city, and then it spread to the entire city. This is an increase in the concentration of suspended dust particles, which are combustion products. The reason for the deterioration in air quality is fires in ecosystems in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. These are mostly peatland fires, but unfortunately, we also have fires in forests. The meteorological situation in Kyiv today also affects the state of our air: the actual absence of wind does not allow pollutants to dissipate quickly," Voznyi said.
At the same time, he said, the radiation background in the capital is absolutely normal.
"We are already seeing a decline... starting from the northern part, on average by about 20%. Unfortunately, the situation in the southern part of the city and the southeastern part remains quite polluted. On average, the pollution we are talking about is five times higher than the maximum permissible concentration, namely dust particles," Voznyi said.
To reduce the negative impact on health, as indicated by the KCSA, it is recommended:
- limit your time outdoors;
- prefer closed rooms with ventilation equipped with HEPA filters;
- keep the windows closed;
- if possible, turn on humidifiers and refuse to ventilate;
- refrain from playing sports outdoors and work out at home;
- increase fluid intake to 2-3 liters per day for adults;
- if possible, refuse to use your own car and prefer public transportation instead.
