Kyiv air quality map

Is there a lot of information about air quality on the air pollution map for Kyiv?

The air pollution map for Kyiv is easily accessible from the main city page. Just clicking on the map icon will open a new page dedicated to the facts and figures regarding air quality.

Possibly the first thing a viewer will notice is the overall colour of the background of the map. This is a direct indication of the quality of air at that time. It is currently green which tells us that the air quality is “Good”. A full explanation of the meaning of all the colours used can be seen in the legend at the foot of the page. These colours are the same across the entire IQAir site. There are several levels of pollution. The lowest, "green" level is "good" from 0 to 50 AQI (pollution is absent or poses little risk to health). The highest, "dark burgundy" - "heavy" up to 500 AQI (dangerous even for healthy people).

The next thing to notice will be the number of coloured circles that appear to cover the area. These discs represent the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. If some of them appear to be superimposed on top of each other, just slightly expanding the map will allow the discs to separate. If any disc is important to the viewer, clicking on that disc will encourage another new page to open which concentrates on that particular area of the city. Each disc displays a number which is the US AQI reading for that station.

This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated by measuring six of the most commonly found pollutants in the city air. They are usually Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once attained, it is then used as a metric when comparing air quality in different cities. The higher the number, the worse the air quality. The whole system is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Looking back to the main city page, it can be seen that at the start of the fourth quarter of 2022, Kyiv was enjoying a period of “Good” quality air with a US AQI reading of 17. The main pollutant measured was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 3 µg/m³ which is well within the target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Can any other information be gleaned from the air pollution map for Kyiv?

In order to get a maximum amount of information from the air pollution map for Kyiv, it needs to be viewed in full-screen mode otherwise some information will remain hidden.

Once viewed in this way, a drop-down list will appear on the left-hand side of the screen which shows four options. These can all be turned on or off as desired so as to make the screen easier to understand.

The first option shows the location of all the ground-level air monitoring stations both in Kyiv and also the surrounding area. By selecting any of these discs, a new page will open which has a lot of information about that specific area.

Option number two shows the location of any wildfires that may be burning within the vicinity. The ensuing smoke from these fires could seriously affect the air quality. Option number four shows the speed and direction of the prevailing wind and might give a guideline as to whether or not the city will be affected by the smoke.

There is even more information over on the right-hand side of the screen. This comes in the form of a table which ranks world cities according to their levels of air pollution. The table shows only the top seven cities but can be explored in more detail by opening it up.

Scrolling down to just below the air pollution map can be seen the number of stations that currently provide air quality data. There are currently 29 stations which are supplied and operated by 13 contributors.

Below that list is another which ranks the stations according to their levels of pollution. The most polluted area is around the Residential complex Kakhovskaya station with a US AQI reading of 144 which is classified as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”.

And below that list is another which ranks all the stations according to the number of followers they each have. The most popular one currently is the Yaskraviy station with over 236,000 followers.

Is the source of air pollution visible on the air quality map for Kyiv?

The source of the polluted air is not directly shown on the air pollution map for Kyiv, however, according to experts, motor vehicles are the main source of air pollution in Kyiv. Between 70 to 80 per cent of harmful substances entering the atmosphere come from transportation.

Air, rail and water transport account for only 4 per cent of pollution from mobile sources. The rest is for road transport. About 70 per cent of the total number of motor vehicle emissions are made by private cars. 1.2 million cars are officially registered in Kyiv. According to forecasts, the number of private cars in the capital will increase by 60 per cent by 2025.

The weather also affects the accumulation of harmful substances in the air. The heat and weak wind contribute to the accumulation and retention of pollutants in the surface layers of the air. For example, in August of this year, due to the abnormal heat in Kyiv, an excess of formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide was recorded in the air by 4 to 5 times.

PM2.5 is used as a benchmark on the air pollution map for Kyiv, but what is it?

Particulate matter (PM) is microscopic solid particles. In fact, it is everything in the air that is not a gas and consists of a huge variety of chemical compounds and materials, some of which can be toxic. Because of the small size of many of the particles that make up PM, some of these toxins can enter the bloodstream through breathing and be transported throughout the body, settling in the heart, brain, and other organs.

PM particles can travel long distances in the atmosphere. They are carried by winds for hundreds of kilometres. A small proportion of PM comes from natural sources such as pollen and sea spray. Another private one comes from neighbouring countries. However, the main part of PM concentrations in Ukraine comes from local anthropogenic sources, such as emissions from fuel burning (industrial enterprises, forest fires, motor vehicles), and wear and tear of tyres and brakes (pads and brake discs) of vehicles.