Air quality in Ha Long

What is the air quality index of Thanh Pho Ha Long?

Hạ Long is the capital city of Quảng Ninh Province in the northeast of Vietnam, approximately 178 kilometres east of Hanoi. In 2019 it had an estimated population of just over 300,000.

At the start of 2021, Ha Long was experiencing “Moderate” quality air with a US AQI reading of 93 according to recommendations by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The recorded level of pollutants were as follows; PM2.5 - 32.3 µg/m³, PM10 - 33.1 µg/m³, ozone (O₃) - 65.4 µg/m³ and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) - 39.1 µg/m³. With levels such as these, the advice is to close doors and windows to prevent the ingress of dirty air and those of a sensitive disposition should avoid outdoor activities until the air quality improves.

What is the main source of Thanh Pho Ha Long’s polluted air?

Over the past few years, the coal and other mineral mining industry in Quang Ninh have increased rapidly in terms of both the number of units, the scale and the exploitation capacity. This can be said to be the main source of air pollution.

According to an assessment at present, the excavation, transportation and dumping activities are taking place on a large scale, especially at open-pit mining sites, generating a large amount of dust and gases which are toxic to vegetation. The increase in the area and scale of the landfill sites changes the geomorphology and the vegetation cover, causing changes in the landscape and causing significant amounts of dust. Not only that, but the transportation of coal from the mines to the consumption of fuel on the road is also a large cause of air pollution along the traffic routes. In addition, the local roads are degraded, the drainage system is poor which leads to the accumulation of mud and coal spilt and washed out on the roads, making it difficult for the environmental cleanliness.

Currently, the area bordering Ha Long Bay has two cement factories with a combined production capacity of 4.3 million tons per year. Because of their proximity to the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, there is concern over their emissions. These two factories need to invest in the installation and operation of advanced technology systems to treat exhaust gases, smoke, dust and automatic chimney exhaust monitoring system. This data should be shared with the local authorities who should make it available to the public.

Once the public has a better understanding of the quality of air that they breathe, collectively, they can do something about it by challenging the local authorities.

Many other cities in Vietnam have introduced an app which can be downloaded to a suitable smartphone which informs the user as to the quality of air in real-time. Advice can also be given, then the individual can decide on the correct course of action that he/she needs to take.

Is air pollution in Thanh Pho Ha Long getting better or worse?

Air pollution in Ha Long is gradually getting better due to the switch from coal mining to tourism as the main source of revenue for the province. There is an increasing number of tourists who are drawn to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes.

The city benefits from being on the coast and is subject to the offshore prevailing winds that blow across the city and have the effect of cleaning the air.

In some of the larger Vietnamese cities, photographs of shockingly polluted places are displayed in bus shelters and other hubs of public transportation. It is done in a way to “shock” residents into using public transport more often and to be more aware of their environment.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Thanh Pho Ha Long?

In addition to a number of traffic axes on Highway 18 from Dong Trieu to Mong Cai, dust pollution also occurs around coal mining, sorting and transportation areas, and areas with low construction activities. Heavy trucks circulate dedicated mines and coal trucks that carry mud and soil on public transport routes are the main cause of dust pollution in this area. Some roads of the province Road 336 and 337 are heavily affected by container transportation activities, the transportation of soil and rock still takes place at a high density in this area. Not only that, with the current amount of coal resources in the province, thermal power plants from Dong Trieu to Mong Duong are flourishing. According to the calculations of scientists, these thermal power plants using 23 million tons of coal dust will emit about 48 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and 0.3 million tons of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) into the air. Thus, it can be seen that the emission of harmful gases is very large. However, emissions are reduced by 90 per cent if thoroughly treated with electrostatic dust filters and air absorption. It has been suggested that powdery substances which are likely to cause dust should only be transported in closed vehicles.

What are the effects of breathing Thanh Pho Ha Long’s poor quality air?

Air pollution is the fourth danger to human health. Because the number of children dying from air pollution worldwide is even higher than from malaria and HIV-AIDS combined. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), exposure to polluted air has claimed the lives of more than 9 million people worldwide and of which 1.7 million children under 5 years old each year.

Vietnam is one of the countries with the highest air pollution mortality rates in the world. The reason is that people do not have the awareness to protect themselves against air pollution.

Air pollution is one of the main causes of ailments including respiratory infections, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke and lung cancer.

Air pollution affects health, including difficulty breathing, coughing, and asthma attacks and worsening illnesses.

Sensitive groups include children, pregnant women, senior citizens, people in a weak condition, and those who have a pre-existing medical condition are the most likely to be affected by air pollution.