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# | station | US AQI |
---|---|---|
1 | Masjid Al-Muslim | 186 |
2 | Setra Duta | 183 |
3 | TMLEnergy | 181 |
4 | Jalan Sukawarna Baru A | 173 |
5 | RespoKare Mask - Setrasari | 170 |
6 | Bandung Cihapit | 119 |
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Get an AirVisual Outdoor and contribute to collecting millions of data points for the Bandung map to track local air pollution
The air quality maps for Bandung, sometimes referred to as air pollution maps, show the air quality levels in the form of a US AQI reading, which refers to the air quality index, a number aggregated from the main pollutants found in the air (which will be discussed in much more detail later), and held to the standards used in the United States. The reason for this is that the U.S standards are a lot more stringent than other pollution measures in use, and as such will give a clearer and more concise picture as to the danger level that you, as an individual may be exposed to, along with other people living within or traveling through Bandung.
Some readings from the air quality map will be quoted as an example, although of note is that these are readings taken from a select day in early June of 2022, to be used to explain the readings and their function, as well as the classification systems in use on the air quality map. The pollution map in Bandung shows numbers within a colored circle, and as of mid-2022, there are not a huge number of them present. This will likely change as time goes on, due to increased interest in accurate air quality information from both the general public as well as governing bodies, both local and international. The pandemic of 2020, whilst slowing down pollution hikes to some extent due to the halting of mass movements of people across Indonesia and other countries and cities throughout the world, has made people more aware of the air that they are breathing, and how harmful it could potentially be. Two years ahead of the initial pandemic, mass movements of people and vehicles have caused normal polluting activities to return, with many of the more prominent ones (such as natural or manmade fires) never having gone away.
Looking at the figures present on the air quality map above, the examples for June of 2022 were readings of 27, recorded near Lebak Gede. This is a more optimal example of air cleanliness, with this reading falling into the 'good' air quality classification and color-coded as green, with both of these requiring a US AQI reading of 0 to 50 to be classified as such. The closer the reading is to 0 on the air quality map, the freer from haze, smoke, smog and contaminating particles the air will be. A reading of 27 on Bandung’s pollution map indicates that the surrounding area where this reading is shown up above will have a good level of air cleanliness, although this may be subject to rapid changes. Even meteorological factors such as wind can cause large clouds of pollution to be blown over a previously clean area, although wind itself has the double-edged effect of also being one of the most efficient removers of pollution from the air. Rain can help, but to a significantly lessened effect than wind, due to rain only being able to tamp down larger particles, and in the cases of accumulated dust and dirt on the ground potentially being whisked up into the air (increasing the number of dangerous particles that can be breathed), it may also wash it away and thus prevent it from being thrown into the air.
Another reading taken on the same day as the reading of 27 above was a considerably higher US AQI reading of 72, which then dropped down to 57 within an hour. Both readings placed the area surrounding the air quality monitoring station into the 'moderate' rating bracket, with the reading of 72 being more dangerous and edging closer to the next bracket up, that of the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' one, which requires a reading of 101 to 150 for classification. Whilst the next reading of 52 was more optimal, it still fell short of the best air quality rating bracket on the pollution map for Bandung. Users should be wary when pollution levels move into the 'moderate' bracket and as they elevate upwards, with noticeable effects showing themselves as the US AQI readings increase. This can include forms of respiratory distress and irritation, both amongst the healthy groups in Bandung, and more so in vulnerable groups.
Pollution levels may be elevated on the air quality map for Bandung for many reasons. These can be reduced down to the simplest elements, which is essentially that elevated pollution levels are often the result of various forms of combustion. Natural fires or farmland fires can cause huge elevations in the pollution levels when they occur, which has a knock-on effect on the US AQI readings shown on the air quality map above. Poorly paved roads and construction sites can lead to higher particle counts in the air, along with fumes from cars, factories and power plants all contributing to higher readings present on the air pollution map in Bandung.
As touched on in the first question regarding the readings present on the air quality map, to go into a little bit more detail as to which pollutants go into forming the US AQI aggregation, they are the main ones (referred to as the 'main ones' due to their worldwide prevalence, and can be found in any part of the world that sees human and industrial activity, natural fires notwithstanding) such as nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. These two are both prominently released by vehicles, with nitrogen dioxide being found in high concentrations around many areas that have a higher level of vehicular activity, particularly prominent during rush hour times or in busy motorways or roads. Ozone is another pollutant that is part of the US AQI aggregation, along with carbon monoxide, and PM10 and PM2.5, the two forms of particle-based pollution.
Out of these two particle-based pollutants, the smaller PM2.5 takes first place as the most dangerous of the two, and indeed as one of the most dangerous forms of pollution that can be seen on the air quality map (in the form of raised US AQI readings, which may indicate higher amounts of fine particles in the air). As such, whilst the air pollution map does not explicitly show what the concentration levels of these pollutants are in Bandung, with the knowledge of what the US AQI reading is comprised of, users may have a clearer insight into what it is that they are breathing during higher pollution episodes.
People may stay safe from higher pollution levels in Bandung by consistently monitoring the air quality maps that show how polluted a particular part of the city is. When the US AQI readings are higher and start to approach the upper end of the 'moderate' pollution bracket, preventative measures can be taken. These include wearing fine particle filtering masks, along with avoiding outdoor activities. Doors and windows may be kept shut, to prevent indoor pollution levels from rising in households throughout Bandung.
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