Photo courtesy of www.nationalgeographic.com
From WIRE REPORTS
Ha Noi is among the most polluted cities in Asia and the most polluted in Southeast Asia, a
Jacques Moussafir of ARIA Technologies, a French company specializing in computation of pollutant dispersion, meteorological analysis, wind, emission and air quality modeling, said the content of dust in the air in Ha Noi exceeded the allowed level many times.
He was speaking at a conference on air quality and urban traffic organized by the French Embassy and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Traffic is the main contributor to air pollution in the city, with the content of PM10 (particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter) being four times higher than the alarm level set by the World Health Organization, Moussafir said.
PM10 particles are a major health concern because they can be inhaled into and accumulate in the respiratory system through normal facial masks.
According to statistics from ARIA Technologies, the annual growth of traffic vehicles in Ha Noi is 12 to 15 percent, which contributes to the emissions of toxic substances such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
“Ha Noi’s pollution rate is similar to that of
“If nothing is done, the content of dust in Ha Noi will go up to … 10 times the level warned by the WHO.”
Other experts said Ha Noi should work to reduce the use of personal vehicles and increase the use of public transportation.
“We need an advanced transport network, which creates less pollution than the personal vehicles we are using,” said Bernard Favre of ARIA Technologies.
Hoang Duong Tung, deputy chief of Viet Nam Environment Administration, said
Some experts said Ha Noi authorities should encourage city dwellers to reduce charcoal burning cooking methods and increase the use of solar energy.
