Pollution, air quality, landfills, and the Clean Air Act

Around two weeks ago, the Department of Health issued a health warning re unhealthy air quality due to the April 10 fire at the Navotas landfill.

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The haze (fine smoke and dust particles) can produce symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, coughing, chest pain, eye irritation and worsening of preexisting asthma and other lung diseases.

While the agency has classified it as hazardous, meaning it can affect all who inhale the dirty air. But it doesn’t tell us what the level of pollution is. Air quality is defined by the presence of particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in size (PM2.5). These minute particles can be inhaled into the lungs where they can incite inflammation and cause respiratory symptoms.

Air quality index classifies PM2.5 concentrations of 0-50µg/cubic meter as good, 51-100 µg/cubic meter as moderate, 101-150 µg/cubic meter as unhealthy for sensitive groups (asthmatics, heart disease etc., 151-200 µg/cubic meter as unhealthy, 201-300 µg/cubic meter as very unhealthy and 301-500 µg/cubic meter as hazardous for all. Now, that’s way beyond safe!

I’ve been monitoring air quality since I got a car with air quality sensors. Thank goodness air quality in our village shows only four to six PM2.5 only, whereas it is usually 25-40 on the road. Recently, levels were elevated to 80 or higher in an area away from the landfill.