Hanoi moving to address air pollution: authorities
Hanoi is promptly taking actions to improve air quality which has been assessed as very low for the past two weeks, according to municipal authorities.
Chief of the Office of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dang Dinh (standing) speaks at the press meeting on October 1 (Photo: VNA)
At a press meeting on October 1, Chief of the Office of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dang Dinh said statistics of the municipal Department of Naturel Resources and Environment show that since September 13, the local air quality at many points in time of day has been “very low”. The air is mainly polluted with fine particles PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter).
The main pollution sources include exhaust fumes from transport vehicles, coal and wood burning, dust from construction sites and vehicles carrying building materials, waste burning, smoke from production facilities in Hanoi and nearby provinces, and impact of the change of seasons.
Local authorities also blamed the air pollution on the poor treatment and collection of waste and wastewater, along with untreated water pollution in some lakes.
Dinh said Hanoi has been taking prompt actions to manage and improve the air quality such as installing more monitoring stations, controlling pollution sources, and discouraging locals from using coal burning stoves.
Additionally, it is also promoting the use of vehicles to collect waste and clean dust instead of doing manually, dealing with lake pollution, and building waste-to-energy plants.
Authorities are set to step up communications to raise public awareness of air quality, implement more tree planting programmes, and dissuade farmers from the long-standing practice of burning straw. They will also enhance the management of road vehicles to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, while promoting the use of public transport, the official added.
It is forecast that rains to come on October 3 will help improve air quality in the city./.
