Study maps CT air pollution hotspots

A new University of Cape Town (UCT) study has found that more than 40% of Cape Town residents are exposed to high or very high levels of air pollution, raising concerns about environmental inequality and public health risks in the city.

- NAMHLA MONAKALI

Published in the journal GeoHealth, the research presents the first high-resolution map of air pollution risk across the metro.

It shows how pollution exposure overlaps with social vulnerability, with the worst-affected areas largely concentrated in informal settlements and historically disadvantaged communities.

The study estimates that about 1,9 million people, or 40,3% of Cape Town's population, live in highto very-high-risk zones.

Lead researcher Dr Meryl Jagarnath from UCT’s Division of Environmental Health said these communities face multiple pressures.

“Residents in these communities face compounded challenges such as poor housing conditions, limited access to healthcare and proximity to pollution sources,” she said.

She added that traditional air quality monitoring often focuses only on pollutant levels, without accounting for the social conditions that shape exposure and health outcomes.