Klang air quality map

What type of interesting information about air quality can be seen on the air pollution map for Klang?

There is a lot of very interesting information on the air pollution map for Klang and it is very easy to access. At the top of the main city page is the map icon which, when selected, will open a new page which is filled with all relevant information about air quality in Klang.

The first thing to notice will be the background colour of the map which is a visualisation of the current air quality. Colours can range from pale green to dark maroon/purple where the darker colours signify worsening air quality. The colours are used as a standard throughout the entire IQAir website. Currently, the map is dark yellow which tells the viewer that the air quality is “Moderate”.

There are also several coloured discs or circles scattered across the screen which represent the locations of the ground-level air monitoring stations, although not all are under the control of the city.

At the centre of these discs is a number which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is calculated by recording the measurements of up to six of the most commonly found pollutants in the city air. These are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

It is then used as a standard when comparing air quality in different cities around the globe. The whole system is actively encouraged by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Each of the stations can be individually chosen which will open up a new page filled with information about air quality specific to that area. This can be invaluable if travel is imminent.

Going back to the main city page, it will be seen in the coloured band at the top of the page that Klang was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 73. The main pollutant was found to be PM2.5 with a measured level of 22.5 µg/m³ which is four and a half times higher than the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³, as recommended by the WHO.

Looking just below the air pollution map for Klang can be seen the number of contributors there is that supply and collate all the data regarding air quality in the city, and the number of stations they manage. Currently, there is one station controlled by the Department of Environment of Malaysia.

Are there many more interesting facts and figures about air quality on the air pollution map for Klang?

There are many more fascinating facts and figures about air quality on the air pollution map for Klang but the screen needs to be viewed at maximum size in order for all the information to appear on screen. This is readily achieved by clicking on the full-screen icon that appears at the top of the page.

When in full-screen mode, a list of four options will be seen on the left-hand side of the screen which can all be individually deactivated to see the effects they each have on the map.

The first option shows the sites of the ground-level air monitoring stations in and around the city and its environs. Each of the stations can be explored further by selecting the appropriate disc which will open another page filled with information on air quality in that specific area.

The second option reveals the location of any wildfires there are burning in the area. At the time of writing in March 2023, there were no reported fires burning out of control in the area. When fires are detected, option number four will be very useful because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and will give a good indication of the path of the ensuing smoke.

The third option changes the colour of the map to reflect the current state of the air. If the air quality is good, then pale colours will flood the page, but darker colours appear as the air quality worsens. If the colour is too distracting, the option can be deactivated whereupon the map will revert to a more natural set of colours.

More facts and figures about air quality can be found on the right-hand side of the screen. A table will be seen that lists the top seven most polluted cities across the globe. By looking at the full-ranking section the remainder of the participating world cities will be seen.

Directly below the contributor’s category is the section which shows where the most heavily polluted areas of the city are according to the readings obtained by the monitoring stations. Currently, the most polluted area is in the vicinity of the Klang station which published the US AQI reading of 84 which is classified as being “Moderate”.

The next table ranks the stations according to their popularity and shows the number of followers they each have. The station at Klang has over 37,000 followers and is currently the most popular.

Is the source of the polluted air shown on the air quality map for Klang?

Whilst the source of the polluted air is not shown directly on the air quality map for Klang, it is generally known that air pollution is caused by the emission of dirty smoke by industry directly into the air through factory chimneys, motor vehicles on the road, cigarette smoke, open burning and volcanic eruptions. Among the effects of air pollution are thinning of the ozone layer, haze, acid rain, and global warming. Air pollution may affect the health, safety and comfort of people or property.

Vehicles are a daily necessity and the use and production of motor vehicles are increasing every year on roads. The burning of fossil fuels (petrol, diesel, etc.) from motor vehicles produces carbon monoxide gas, nitrous oxide and hydrocarbons contributing to air pollution. Every day the fumes from vehicles such as cars are released into the air and the number of vehicles used on the road every day is in the billions.

PM2.5 is always quoted on the air pollution map for Klang, but how dangerous is it?

PM2.5 particles are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. Exposure to such fine particles can cause short-term health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath.