Seremban air quality map

Is there a lot of interesting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Seremban?

The air pollution map for Seremban is very accessible from the main city page. Just select the map icon and a new page will open which has all the information about the current state of the air quality in and around the city.

Possibly the first thing a viewer will notice is the overall colouration of the map itself. Currently, it is a greenish/yellow which indicates the air quality as being “Moderate”. The colours used are standard throughout the entire IQAir website and range from pale green to dark maroon. The darker colours indicate worse air quality.

There are also several coloured circles or discs dotted across the map which show the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations which collect the data regarding air quality. Each disc displays a number which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is derived from the measurements of six of the most prolific air pollutants found in city air. They usually include both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once calculated it is used as a standard when comparing air quality in other cities across the globe. It is encouraged and endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). If any of the discs are over an area of special interest, they can be selected and another page will open which is dedicated to that specific area of the city.

Looking back to the main city page again, it can be seen in the coloured banner at the top of the page that Seremban was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 75. The main pollutant which was measured was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 23.7 µg/m³. This figure places it almost five times higher than the recommended target figure of 5 µg/m³, as suggested by the WHO.

Directly below the air pollution map for Seremban can be seen the number of stations that provide all the air quality data. In November 2022, there was just one station providing their data and it is controlled and operated by the Department of Environment of Malaysia.

Are areas of higher levels of pollution easily identified on the air quality map for Seremban?

Areas of higher pollution can be identified by finding the disc with the highest number and/or darkest colour. This should be very easy to do because Seremban has only one station providing data. Scrolling down below the map can be seen a table which ranks the stations according to their levels of air pollution. This is currently the station called “Seremban” with a US AQI reading of 75.

Following on from this list is another which shows the popularity of the stations. This one at “Seremban” has over 16,500 loyal followers.

What other interesting information can be gleaned from the air pollution map for Seremban?

There is a lot more interesting information on the air pollution map for Seremban, but the page needs to be viewed at maximum size if all the features are to be seen. The icon to select “full-screen” mode can be found at the top of the page.

Once viewed in this way, a list of four choices will appear on the left-hand side of the screen. Each of these can be deactivated individually to make it clearer what effect each one has.

The first option shows the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations and each disc can be selected to reveal the information held about that particular area of the city.

The second option will show if there are any wildfires burning in the locality, and option four which shows the wind speed and direction will help ascertain where the smoke might blow. In November 2022 there were no fire icons on the map.

The third option directly shows the condition of the air by altering the background colour of the map to reflect it. If some viewers find this distracting or overpowering, it can be deactivated so that the map will revert to standard colours.

The remaining information about air quality can be seen on the right-hand side of the page in the form of a table. This table ranks world cities according to their levels of air cleanliness with the most polluted at the top of the table. Only seven cities are shown by default but the entire list is available by selecting the extended page.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air pollution map for Seremban?

The source of the polluted air is not directly shown on the air pollution map for Seremban, however, a lot of the polluted air is blamed on the indiscriminate burning of wasteland in neighbouring Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia. Local burning is also a major source of haze in the air, especially in hot weather.

Open burning is one of the main causes of air pollution. Open burning is mostly detected in landfills, solid waste in industrial areas and construction sites, plantation waste, garden waste and burning in forest reserves. The pollution situation becomes more serious during the prolonged summer because it also contributes to the haze problem that affects public health and reduces visibility.

PM2.5 is always seen on the air pollution map for Seremban, but how dangerous is it?

PM2.5 are atmospheric aerosols with a maximum diameter of 2.5 micrometres. This type of suspended particulate matter is considered the most dangerous to human health. This is due to its very fine nature, and its ability to penetrate directly into the bloodstream. It is responsible for such conditions as exacerbated asthma, decreased lung functions lung, throat and laryngeal cancers, arrhythmia and vasculitis.

PM2.5 has a negative effect on the respiratory system. It is responsible for coughing attacks, wheezing, and the worsening of conditions for people with asthma or acute bronchitis. PM2.5 also indirectly affects the rest of the body, including an increase in risk of a myocardial infarction and stroke. Benzopyrene is also highly carcinogenic. To conclude, aerosols of this type are very harmful to humans.