Air quality in Corum

What is the level of air pollution in Corum now?

Corum is a northern Anatolian city that is the capital of the Corum Province of Turkey. It is an inland city about 244 kilometres away from Ankara and 608 kilometres from the capital of Istanbul. The results of the 2016 census estimated Corum’s population to be approximately 235,000 people.

In the middle of 2021, Corum was experiencing a period of “Moderate” quality air with a US AQI figure of 82. This follows the guidelines as suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is an internationally used set of metrics that is needed when comparing air quality in different cities across the globe. In order to determine this level, there are usually six of the most prevalent pollutants which are measured. However, there are times when measurements for all six are not available, in which case, the information that is available is used. For Corum, just two figure were available which were as follows; PM2.5 - 33.6 µg/m³ and PM10 - 60.1 µg/m³.

With elevated levels such as these, it is strongly recommended to stay inside and close all doors and windows to prevent more dirty air from entering the room. Those of a sensitive disposition should refrain from venturing outside until the air quality improves. The table at the top of this page will assist you with this decision.

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

Air pollution can be very volatile and change very quickly due to its susceptibility to many variables, such as temperature and strength of sunlight and concentration levels of the pollutants.

Looking at the figures published by the Swiss air monitoring company, IQAir.com it can easily be seen that the best air quality was to be had from February until the end of October when the figures revealed that it was “Moderate” with readings between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The month of January was “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with figures between 35.5 and 55.4 µg/m³. The remaining two months of November and December had air quality that could be classified as being “Unhealthy” with readings between 55.5 and 150.4 µg/m³. These figures are quoted in micrograms/microns per cubic metre.

In Corum, air quality records were first kept in 2018 when it was recorded as being 24.8 µg/m³ followed by 23.8 µg/m³ the following year in 2019. Last year saw a sharp downturn to 36 µg/m³. This might not be a true reflection due to the restrictions put into place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, many vehicles were prohibited from being used because factories and offices had been instructed to stop production. The closure of the factories also meant they were no longer polluting the air, albeit on a temporary basis.

What are the sources of all this polluted air in Corum?

Road transport in Turkish cities and coal in Turkey are major polluters, but the main factor affecting air pollution levels is the sheer number of vehicles on the roads. The number of vehicles traversing Turkey's roads has increased from 4 million in 1990 to 25 million in 2020.

Cars and lorries emit diesel exhaust, such as particulates, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other fumes into the atmosphere. However, the first of several Turkish national electric cars is planned to start production next year, in 2022.

More than 45 per cent of all vehicles using Turkey’s roads are over 10 years old and very inefficient due to their lack of modern technology.

Coal and wood are still used extensively in Turkish homes, especially in the rural areas. The coal that is used is lignite which is particularly dirty and very inefficient. This is also true for the main power stations in Turkey.

More than 25 per cent of Turkish people smoke cigarettes which is a great contributor to indoor air pollution and it increases the risks of respiratory infections.

Air pollution from cement production is one of the environmental impacts of concrete. Although asbestos was completely banned in 2010, it can still be a risk when older buildings are demolished, in dumps and in buildings in some rural areas where it occurs naturally.

Can anything be done to lower pollution levels in Corum?

It is planned to increase the volume of electric cars on the roads to 10 per cent by 2030. The continuation of the electrification of Turkey’s rail network and the introduction of high speed efficient lines is currently ongoing.

Strict enforcement of diesel engine emissions was introduced in 2020 as a way of ridding the city of the very old heavily-polluting vehicles.

Currently, Turkey lags behind the rest of Europe with its monitoring system. In 2016 the concentration of PM2.5 pollutant was 42 µg/m³ whereas the maximum figure permissible by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is 10 µg/m³. According to the Organisation for Economic Control and Development, Turkey plans to meet EU limits by 2024.

Most of Turkey’s pollution is caused by the burning of fossil fuels so the only way to reduce the air pollution is to find another sustainable source of energy.

Electric ferryboats have been proposed for the Bosporus. A low-emission zone for road traffic has been suggested for certain large cities and it has been suggested that Turkey's vehicle tax system should be changed to better charge for pollution.

How does this poor air quality in Corum affect human health?

Around 30,000 people die each year from air pollution-related illnesses, about 8 per cent of all deaths. Estimates of annual mortality due to air pollution vary between 29,000 and 37,000. Air pollution is a health risk mainly due to burning fossil fuels, such as coal and diesel.

Researchers estimate that reducing air pollution to World Health Organisation limits would save seven times the number of lives that were lost in traffic accidents in 2017. Many places do not have sufficient monitoring equipment to give an accurate figure, but this is going to change in the not-too-distant future.

Of course, even healthy people can feel the negative impact of polluted air including respiratory irritation or breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities. Other groups are more susceptible such as pregnant women, children under the age of 14 years, senior citizens and those manual workers who work outdoors for extended periods of time.