Bac Giang air quality map

How much information about air quality can be seen on the air pollution map for Bac Giang?

The air pollution map for Bac Giang is easily accessible from the main city page. Left-clicking over the map icon will open a new page which is filled with information regarding air quality in and around the city and its environs.

The first thing a viewer will notice is the overall colour of the map. This is a direct reflection of the current air quality. It is currently a greenish/yellow which represents “Good” air quality. The full meaning of all the available colours used on the site is found in the legend at the bottom of the screen.

There are a number of coloured discs dotted across the map which signifies the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. These follow the same colour system as the main background and also display a number. This is the US AQI reading taken at that particular station. It is worked out by measuring the levels of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide which are the six most commonly found air pollutants in city air. It is encouraged by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Viewers will possibly notice that these discs are not directly over the city of Bac Giang because not all cities have their own stations, and instead, rely on data provided by overhead satellites.

Looking back at the main city page, an asterisk can be seen to the right of the US AQI number which shows the data is collected from satellites and not from its own stations. At the start of the fourth quarter of 2022, Bac Giang was enjoying a period of “Good” air quality with a US AQI reading of just 21. The main pollutant measured was PM2.5 which was found to have a level of 5.1 µg/m³. The target figure suggested by the WHO is 5 µg/m³ so this figure is just slightly over that recommendation.

Is there much more information about air quality on the air pollution map for Bac Giang?

In order to see the maximum amount of information on the air pollution map for Bac Giang, it needs to be opened in full-screen mode or some of the choices will remain covered.

Looking at the left-hand side of the screen will be seen a list of four choices which can all be selected individually to see exactly what they do.

The first option shows the location of all the ground-level air monitoring stations in the area. Some may not be directly over the city of Bac Giang though.

The second choice shows the position of any wildfires that might be burning in the vicinity. Currently, there are none to see. If any fires appeared on the map, then option number four needs to be consulted at the same time. This option shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds which will give a good indication as to where the smoke will blow.

The third choice is possible the most theatrical as it changes the background colour of the map to reflect the current air quality. If the viewer finds the colour too intrusive then it can be deactivated and the map will return to a standard set of colours.

Another piece of information can be found on the far right-hand side of the screen. A table can be seen here which ranks the world cities according to the cleanliness of their air. The most polluted appear at the head of the table. Some may come as a surprise as they are not normally thought of as being heavily polluted.

Can areas of high pollution be identified on the air quality map for Bac Giang?

Areas of higher levels of pollution can be identified by looking for the darker coloured discs which will also carry a higher number. As stated before, they are not necessarily over the city but it does indicate areas of elevated pollution which can then be avoided.

The industrial zones or parks often carry elevated levels of air pollution due to the nature of their activities. The city centre is often more polluted too because of the volume of traffic using the road network. Generally, in Vietnam, there is a huge number of motorcycles on the roads and these are often very old and therefore do not have the in-built technology to limit harmful emissions.

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

The source of air pollution is not shown directly on the air pollution map for Bac Giang, however, sources of air pollution are concentrated mainly in factories and enterprises such as the local fertilizer factory, brick production area in the Song Mai commune around Phuc Lam and Van Ha villages. The total dust concentration at all survey points in the district and city centres is between two and seven times higher than the allowable standards.

PM2.5 is used as a benchmark on the air pollution map for Bac Giang, but what is it?

Dust is a mixture of solid or liquid compounds floating in the air, the compounds present in dust are also known collectively as Particulate Matter - PM symbol. In which, dust particles with microscopic size (micron) are best known.

Some artificial causes of PM2.5 are the number of vehicles which produce a certain amount of smoke, and dust which is carried during travel, eroding the road surface, tyres and brakes, thereby increasing the amount of large fine dust causing pollution.

The use of coal, wood, and oil stoves for cooking also produces a certain amount of smoke, increasing fine dust in the air. Perhaps the worst is the honeycomb charcoal cooking briquettes which are very cheap to buy and therefore very popular. The process of building apartments, buildings, bridges and roads is also a cause of fine dust in the environment, seriously affecting the air. And also, from agriculture with burning rice straw produces toxic fumes, affecting the flow of clean air in the environment. Many stems still have the residue of pesticides on them which also finds its way into the atmosphere.

PM2.5 fine dust brings harmful bacteria to the body, thereby causing skin allergies, and making you feel itchy and uncomfortable. If exposed to a lot of fine dust, it can also cause rhinitis, eye pain, and ear, nose and throat diseases.