Tbilisi air quality map

What valuable information about air quality is available on the air pollution map for Tbilisi?

The air pollution map for Tbilisi can easily be accessed from the main city page. Clicking anywhere on the map icon will open a new page, filled with information about the current air quality in and around the city.

The first thing to notice will be the colour of the map. This overall colour is a direct indication of the state of the air. It is currently green which would indicate “Good” air quality. A full explanation of the various colours used is shown in the legend at the foot of the page. Available colours range from green to maroon, the darker the colour, the worse the quality of the air.

There are also several coloured circles which represent the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. They each display a number at their centre which is the US AQI number for that particular area. This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated by measuring the levels of six of the commonly found pollutants in city air. They are usually, but not limited to both sizes of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide. The entire system is fully endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

If any of the locations are of special interest, just by selecting a particular disc will open a new page which is dedicated to that area of the city.

Looking back at the main city page, it was seen that in October 2022, Tbilisi was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 62. The main pollutant measured was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 17.3 µg/m³. This places it around three and a half times higher than the recommended target figure of 5 µg/m³, as suggested by the WHO.

Just below the air pollution map for Tbilisi can be seen the number of contributors there are and the number of stations that they oversee and provide. Currently, there are four stations all controlled and overseen by the government department.

Can areas of higher pollution be detected from the air pollution map for Tbilisi?

Areas of high pollution are shown on the air pollution map for Tbilisi by looking for the discs with the darker colours and higher numbers. These give a direct indication as to where the areas of higher pollution are. Alternatively, by scrolling down the page under the air pollution map will be a table which ranks all the stations according to their levels of pollution. The station with the highest US AQI number will be at the top of the table and therefore the most polluted. Currently, this station is at David Agmashenebeli Avenue 73a and reports a figure of 76 which is classified as being “Moderate”.

Glancing below that table will be seen another which ranks the stations according to their popularity and quotes the number of followers that they each have. Currently, the most popular one is also the most polluted, it is at David Agmashenebeli Avenue 73a and has just over 31,000 loyal followers.

Is there much more interesting information available on the air pollution map for Tbilisi?

There is more information on the air pollution map for Tbilisi but the page needs to be viewed in full-screen mode otherwise some information could remain hidden. The icon to expand the page to full-screen can be seen at the top right-hand corner of the screen.

When the page is viewed this way, a list will be visible on the left side of the screen with four choices. These options can be toggled on or off individually to get a clear idea of what each option does.

The first option shows the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations as depicted by the coloured discs as previously discussed. The second option shows the position of any wildfires that might be burning in the area. During October 2022, there were no icons to see on the map page. If any fires are detected then option four should be consulted because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and might help decide which areas might be affected by the billowing smoke.

The third option is very spectacular as it changes the colour of the map to reflect the current state of the air. Some viewers may find this colouration to be too intense and distracting, in which case it can be deactivated and the map will take on a more neutral colour palette.

The rest of the information can be found over on the right-hand side of the screen. There will be a table which ranks world cities according to their levels of air pollution. by default, only seven cities are shown, but more can be seen once the page is explored further by clicking on the appropriate box.

Is the source of the polluted air shown on the air pollution map for Tbilisi?

The source of the polluted air is not shown directly on the air pollution map for Tbilisi, however, experts say that several sources of air pollution have been identified which include dust, from construction sites and also from road transport. As part of the research, samples were taken from several streets of Tbilisi and they checked the impact of vehicle exhaust on air pollution. During the research they compared old and new cars, in which the same, high-quality fuel was used. In the case of a car with an old engine, despite the high quality of the fuel, the level of pollution was still high.

The source of nitrogen dioxide is mainly from transportation, and on which streets there is the most congested and intensive traffic, the highest concentrations of nitrogen oxides are fixed there. Looking back at the trend of the last 3 years, the concentrations of problematic nitrogen oxides, there is a very small but positive trend on the streets. Despite the growth of the car park, there is still a positive trend, although not one that will bring significant results in the near future. Therefore, it is very important that the improvement of the public transport network continues, and at the same time, the introduction of the vehicle emission standard, i.e., limit the import of old and dirty vehicles into the country.