YCDC, Ministry to cooperate in measurement of air quality at 47 Yangon locations

YCDC, Ministry to cooperate in measurement of air quality at 47 Yangon locations
Downtown Yangon. (Photo-Hsan Htoo Aung)
Downtown Yangon. (Photo-Hsan Htoo Aung)
Published 19 February 2020

Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) will measure air quality in 47 places in Yangon, in cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, said Daw Hlaing Maw Oo, Secretary of Yangon City Development Committee. 

“The measurements of air quality by the civil societies organizations are not so long. The YCDC plans to encourage roadside vendors to use gas instead of charcoal and firewood,” Daw Hlaing Maw Oo added.

U Cho Tun Aung, head of Environmental Conservation and Cleaning Department under the YCDC said: “Air quality measurements depend on machine and time. It is impossible to measure air quality in a single place. We will get data only when we station a machine at a place for at least 24 hours. Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) issues air quality data in Yangon. It is said to be the best as the DMH is the government body.”

“|There are three steps about air pollution. In March, air pollution of PM 2.5 cannot be visible. In the hot season, many particles are found in the air. There is no air pollution in the rainy season. This year’s February, more particles are found in the air. This is due to the burning of garbage, paddy fields, smokes from the factory boilers and cars. The city sees an increasing number of construction projects. The YCDC alone is not in a position to deal with this problem. The YCDC is to cooperate with all relevant departments,” U Cho Tun Aung added. 

The AQI is calculated from the concentrations of the pollutants: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ground level ozone and particulate matter.

There are six colour codes for the air quality index. Green (0-50) is good, yellow (51-100), moderate, orange (101-150), unhealthy for sensitive groups, red (151-200), unhealthy, purple (201-300), very unhealthy and maroon (301-500), hazardous.