Air quality in Abidjan

Is Abidjan a polluted city now?

Abidjan is the economic capital of the Ivory Coast and one of the most populous French-speaking cities in Africa. The results of a census conducted in 2014 estimated the population to be approximately 4.7 million people. This equates to about 20 per cent of the entire country’s population. It ranks it as the sixth most populous city in all of the African continent.

During the month of August 2021, Abidjan was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 68. This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated using the levels of six of the most prolific air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and both sizes of particulate matter, being PM2.5 and PM10. It can then be used as the metric when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. If data is unavailable for all 6 pollutants, a figure can still be calculated by using what figures there are. For Abidjan, the only recorded figure was that of PM2.5 which was 20 µg/m³. This is twice the recommended level of 10 µg/m³ which is the suggested maximum figure by the World Health Organisation (WHO), although no amount of air pollution is considered to be safe.

With pollution at this level, the given advice would be to stay inside and close all windows and doors to prevent the ingress of more polluted air. Those who are sensitive to poor quality air should avoid exercising outside until the quality improves and if venturing outside is unavoidable, then the wearing of a good quality face mask is essential. The table that is published at the top of this page should help with that decision or download the AirVisual app for constant updates as to the state of the air on the move.

Does the level of pollution stay the same throughout the year in Abidjan?

Having consulted the figures for 2020, published by IQAir.com, it can be seen that the air quality stayed more or less the same throughout the year. The figures published were between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³ which is classified as being “Moderate”. For most months the figure was either high teens or low twenties. The month with the highest quality was September with a reading of 17.4 µg/m³ and the worst was November with 26.8 µg/m³, so not a large variation between the months. Historically, there were no records kept before 2020 when the annual average figure was 21.9 µg/m³, which was classified as being “Moderate”. This reading may have been affected by the COVID-19 situation as many vehicles were no longer in daily use in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus. Many factories and non-essential production units were also required to close which removed their emissions from the atmosphere.

Is there a main source of air pollution in Abidjan?

Air pollution is a serious health concern in Cote D’Ivoire, responsible for an estimated 34,000 premature deaths in 2016, which included 8,000 children’s deaths from respiratory infection. This reality motivated the country to join the CCAC’s SNAP initiative which helped identify priority areas to take action, including the waste sector, transportation, refineries, health, and urban planning.

As in most major cities, anywhere in the world, one of the main sources of air pollution in Abidjan comes from vehicles. In the popular district of Yopougon, the vast majority of vehicles run on diesel and two-thirds of the vehicles are over 10 years old. Despite the recent decree taken to ban the importation of vehicles over five years old, the rolling stock remains dilapidated and polluting. However, the older the vehicles, the higher their particle emission rate. The recent measurements carried out in Abidjan on these used vehicles show emission factors for carbon particles occasionally 100 times higher than the most recent vehicles. The same is true for the emissions of volatile organic compounds.

Another main source of pollution comes from the use of traditional smoking for the preservation of fish and meat. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), around 2/3 of the catch is conserved using this method. The smoking is carried out by the women in metal cans supplied with wood within their living quarters. The peanuts are also roasted there. Recent measurements on PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) show that the accepted health thresholds are exceeded by a factor of 10.

What can be done to reduce air pollution in Abidjan?

Since 2013, Côte d’Ivoire has been working with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and air pollution, thereby improving the food security, health, and development of their citizens and people around the world. The plan outlined 16 mitigation measures which, if fully implemented, would lead to a 59 per cent reduction in black carbon emissions and a 34 per cent reduction in methane emissions by 2030. They will also reduce other air pollutants as well, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, while also reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

This project will promote cleaner diesel, the renewing of the vehicle fleet, and facilitating the transition to cleaner fuel for mass transportation.

In general, the use of open fireplaces is an intense source of pollution in developing countries, particularly affecting women and young children who spend a lot of time in their homes. Changes in practices and access to less polluting energy sources should make it possible to reduce this type of emission.

What are the health impacts of breathing dirty air in Abidjan?

According to the WHO, air pollution is the main environmental health risk in the world. Thus, exposure to outdoor air pollution leads to the death of approximately 4.2 million people worldwide each year.

The effects of air pollution on health observed following exposure of a few hours to a few days (acute exposure, known as short-term) are as follows: eye or respiratory tract irritations, asthma attacks, exacerbation of cardiovascular and respiratory disorders which can lead to hospitalisation, and in the most serious cases to death.

Long-term exposure to air pollution leads to the most significant impacts on health and the proportion of health effects attributable to pollution episodes remains low. The predominant health impact of air pollution is therefore due to year-round exposure to average pollution levels and not to peaks.