Air quality in Shushtar

What is the level of air pollution in Shooshtar now?

Shushtar, Romanised as Shūshtar and Shūstar, and Shooshtar) is a city and capital of Shushtar County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. It is 92 kilometres away from Ahvaz which is the centre of the province.

In the middle of 2021, Shooshtar was experiencing a period of “Unhealthy” air quality with a US AQI reading of 152. This classification system is used and recognised on a global basis and, as such, it is used to compare different cities in different countries but by using the same metrics. It is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). There are usually six main pollutants that are taken into consideration when assessing air quality. Sometimes records for all six are not available so the figure has to be calculated by using what data is available. With Shooshtar only two figures were available which were: PM2.5 - 57.4 µg/m³ and PM10 - 163.2 µg/m³. With elevated levels such as these, it is highly recommended to stay indoors and close all doors and windows to prevent more dirty air from entering the room. Those with a sensitive disposition should refrain from venturing outside until the air quality improves. A good quality mask should be worn when going outside although prolonged periods of outdoor activity are not recommended until it gets noticeably better. The table at the top of this page will assist you with this decision. It would be very beneficial to use an air purifier if one is available.

Is the level of air pollution in Shooshtar constant throughout the year?

Air pollution is very volatile and can and does change very quickly as it is dependent on so many variables such as wind speed and direction, the strength and length of sunlight hours.

The figures have now been published by the Swiss air monitoring company, IQAir.com and it can be seen that the best air quality is enjoyed for 8 months of the year. The months do not run consecutively though. They were from January until the end of April, June and August then November and December. During this period, the air quality was classified as being “Moderate” with readings between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The remaining months of May, July, September and October saw the quality slide down into the next category which is “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with figures between 35.5 and 55.4 µg/m³.

Historic figures were first recorded in 2019 when Shooshtar noted a figure of 34.3 µg/m³. The following year of 2020 saw a slight improvement with a recorded figure of 33.9 µg/m³. This figure could be artificially lower due to the restrictions put into place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, many staff were furloughed and permitted to work from home meaning they no longer needed to commute into the city on a daily basis. Factories had also been instructed to stop production. The closure of the factories also meant they were no longer polluting the air, albeit on a temporary basis.

Where does all the polluted air in Shooshtar come from?

It has been confirmed that the use of mazut, a highly polluting heavy oil used in power plants is the main reason for Iran’s intense air pollution. Mazut is mainly produced and used in former Soviet countries and in countries that do not have sufficient refining capacity to turn it into diesel. It is a heavy, low quality fuel oil, used in power plants and similar applications.

Pollution from old vehicles and oil facilities are two of the permanent sources of pollution in the province, but what has intensified air pollution recently is related to burning organic residue in the fields. Vast areas of former wetland are drying out due to climate change and the now dry dust is picked up by the wind and blown across the area.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Shooshtar?

Vehicles and fuel are not up to international standards, but the developments over the past 30-40 years have created today's problems. Motorcycles need to be replaced with electric powered alternatives, we must take the factories that produce pollution out of the city, we must scrap old vehicles which produce a lot of pollution due to the lack of technology when they were first produced and the number of metro lines needs to be increased. Since the economic situation of the people is not good, they cannot buy new vehicles.

While the use of bicycles is encouraged as a solution to the problem of air pollution, which is repeated every year in Iran, programs such as banning old vehicles from use, applying single and double license plates in traffic and moving factories out of the city are implemented by the state. Unlike this year, in the capital Tehran and some cities, 2-hour power cuts were applied during the day to prevent air pollution and to save energy.

What effect does polluted air in Shooshtar have on human health?

Air pollution, which reaches alarming levels in many parts of the world, negatively affects human health and causes a shortening of life. According to a study conducted in the United States of America, human life would have been on average 2.6 years longer without particulate pollution.

In places like India, China and the USA, pollution is causing human life to be shortened by 12 years. In Europe, which has made important reforms in this regard, Poland is the "dirtiest country". Human life has decreased by 9 months in the last 18 years due to particle pollution. If the criteria of the World Health Organisation were followed, the life expectancy of 4.1 billion people would have been extended by more than 3 years.

When the breathing function takes place, the air enters the lungs through the nose and there are several control mechanisms on this path. The hairs inside the nose prevent large particles from entering. While passing the upper respiratory tract and going to the lower respiratory tract, there are structures in the main windpipe and main bronchi that make an upward sweeping movement called "cilia". These eject any appropriately sized particles that get stuck on them. Particles passing through these mechanisms can reach the air sacs in the lungs.

Although not everyone is affected by air pollution to the same extent, even the healthiest people are exposed to the negativities of this situation. Especially children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic diseases are more affected by pollution. The risk increases in this group as children whose immune system and lung development are not yet completed, because they breathe faster and spend a lot of time outdoors. Due to the weakening of defence mechanisms and the increase of chronic diseases, the elderly are also affected by pollution.