The federal capital residents on Tuesday reported moderate air quality as the atmospheric contaminants were less than the national threshold since months-long soaring air pollution plummeted after much-awaited rainfall earlier.
The air quality was moderate as the air pollutants ratio in the atmosphere was below the permissible limits of the national environmental quality standards of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA).
The agency’s daily air quality report indicated a reduced ratio of air pollutants, recorded below permissible limits. It is responsible for ensuring the protection of the environment under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997.
The hazardous air pollutant particulate matter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5), which was a hazardous atmospheric contaminant, remained 32.41 micro grammes per cubic meter on average which was lower than the national environmental quality standards (NEQS) of 35 mic-programmes per cubic meter and denoted the air quality healthy.
PM 2.5 is generated through the combustion of an engine, industrial emissions, burning garbage or inflammable material and dust blown up by fast-moving cars plying on non-cemented patches of the roads.
The ratio of nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide (NO2&SO2 respectively) also remained below the NEQS that were mostly produced during the industrial emissions from the factories involving complex and extraordinary chemicals’ use in production processes.
The NO2 remained 12.84 microgrammes per cubic meter and SO2 was 15.33 microgrammes per cubic meter.
