Makassar air quality map

What information is available from the air pollution map for Makassar?

When the air quality map for Makassar is first opened, the viewer will see an overall shade of green over the entire map. This colour reflects the general condition of the air at that time. At the bottom of the screen can be seen the legend which explains what the different colours mean. The colours range from pale green for good air quality through yellow, orange and red to purple and maroon which indicates hazardous quality.

The viewer will also see some coloured circles with a number inside. These colours follow the legend so it is straightforward to see the air quality, at a glance. The numbers are the US AQI reading which is an internationally recognised set of metrics endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is calculated by measuring up to six of the most commonly found pollutants and deducing a figure which can then be used to compare the air quality in different cities using a standard.

Towards the right-hand side of the screen can be seen a table which gives more information about humidity, wind speed and air pressure. You also have access to a daily weather forecast as well as a record which shows what the air quality has been during the last 24 hours.

The location of any wildfires which are burning in the vicinity will also be shown on the interactive map. This is very useful when looking at the wind direction which will show of the city will be affected by the smoke, or not.

Does the air quality map for Makassar reveal any other information?

The air quality map for Makassar is accessed through the main city page. By selecting the air pollution map, a new page will open which is dedicated to the city and its environs and shows the various levels of pollution throughout the area.

The most useful information can be had when consulting both pages together. From the main city page, it can be seen that Makassar was enjoying a period of “Good” air quality during the second quarter of 2022. The US AQI reading is given as being 26. There were three pollutants listed which were PM2.5 at 6.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 6.4 µg/m³ and nitrogen dioxide at 4.4 µg/m³. This level of PM2.5 is slightly above the WHO’s target figure of 5 µg/m³.

Further down the page is some information about the current general air condition such as the temperature, humidity, wind speed and air pressure. Below is a forecast for the next few days which could be useful if planning a trip shortly.

A Live City Ranking table can also be found here which indicated the level of air pollution in other Indonesian cities which can be used as a comparison.

Are the areas of high pollution shown on the air quality map for Makassar?

When first looking at the air quality map for Makassar the viewer will see two green coloured discs, each showing the US AQI reading. At the present time, one reads 50 whilst the other reads 26. The one with the higher figure represents poorer air quality. It is relatively easy to see when there are only a few discs showing over the city. Local people may recognise some of these areas as being the site of a power station or industrial zone or some other highly polluting enterprise.

Sometimes the pollution emitted by heavy traffic will register as being a polluted area at certain times of the day, such as during rush hour.

What is the source of the pollution shown on the air quality map for Makassar?

The information that can be gleaned from the air quality map does not directly identify the source of the pollution.

In many large cities throughout the world, the population uses a lot of motorised vehicles, as well as a large number of public transportation. Most of these vehicles use fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel as fuel. Not to mention that many steam power plants (PLTU) still use coal or oil or diesel as their fuel. Burning fossil fuels emits pollutants into the air and causes air pollution. Some of the pollutants emitted include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, sulphur trioxide, and also lead. Many local authorities are expanding their electric-powered fleet but this can be expensive and cannot happen quickly.

Large cities have a much larger population than other small cities. The large number of residents means that more waste is produced every day. This garbage is piled up in landfills, the garbage then decomposes and releases methane gas into the air, or sometimes it is burned together with any plastic waste that is mixed in with it. As it decomposes it releases methane gas which is one of the greenhouse gases that destroys the Earth's ozone layer, it is also a gas that is highly flammable and dangerous when inhaled by living things in large quantities.

We see PM2.5 mentioned on the air pollution map for Makassar but what is it?

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is not a single pollutant but is a mixture of many chemicals. It is a complex mixture of solids and aerosols composed of small droplets of liquid, dry solid fragments, and solid cores with liquid coatings. Particles vary widely in size, shape and chemical composition, and may contain inorganic ions, metallic compounds, elemental carbon, organic compounds, and compounds from the earth’s crust. Particles are defined by their diameter for air quality regulatory purposes. Those with a diameter of 10 microns or less (PM10) are inhalable into the lungs and can induce adverse health effects. Fine particulate matter is defined as particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5). These can travel even further into the lungs and even pass into the bloodstream.

PM10 and PM2.5 often derive from different emissions sources, and also have different chemical compositions. Emissions from the combustion of gasoline, oil, diesel fuel or wood produce much of the PM2.5 pollution found in the outside air, as well as a significant proportion of PM10. PM10 also includes dust from construction sites, landfills and agriculture, wildfires and brush and waste burning, industrial sources, wind-blown dust from open lands, pollen and fragments of bacteria.