Bekasi, Here’s Some Facts About the Air Quality in Your Area!
Hi, Bekasi Citizens! 👋
Have you checked the air quality in your neighborhood? How is the PM2.5 level, is it high or low? In this article, we will reveal the air quality in Bekasi City.
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Located around 22 km from Jakarta, Bekasi is one of the cities with several industrial areas in West Java Province. Bekasi City is also a city where around 2 million people are domiciled. The presence of industrial areas, particularly in the eastern part of the city, is indeed one of the problems affecting the air quality in Bekasi City, which can be very risky for people's health.
How terrible is the air in Bekasi City?
First, let's refresh our understanding of PM2.5, one of the problems we are facing. PM2.5 is particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (very small and cannot be seen directly) that is very harmful when inhaled. According to WHO, exposure to PM2.5 should not exceed 5 ug/m3 to avoid health risks.
Now, let's look at the data on air quality in Bekasi City!
We can see that the blue line is Bekasi and the black line is Jakarta.
Since early 2023, PM2.5 levels in Bekasi have surpassed Jakarta. It even increased significantly from May to June.
This bad air quality does not only occur in one area in Bekasi but almost all areas in Bekasi. Let's see a comparison of all Nafas’ sensors in Bekasi with those in DKI Jakarta!
These areas also have pollution levels that are higher than Jakarta. As we can all see, PM2.5 levels in Tarumajaya are 9x above the WHO annual exposure limit (5 µg/m3)!
Tarumajaya
Tarumajaya is an area located close to residential areas. Too often having poor air quality, this area has become a pollution champion in Bekasi. Hyperlocal pollution such as garbage burning could be the main cause.
Cikarang Selatan
Not only Tarumajaya, but the air quality in South Cikarang is also no less concerning. The reason could be caused by cross-border pollution coming from industrial areas close to South Tambun.
South Tambun
South Tambun can be considered for being the number 3 location with unhealthy air quality. The location is close to an industrial area, so emissions from surrounding industries worsen the air quality in this area.
You might also be wondering, "Is the air quality that bad in Bekasi City?" Of course not.
The air quality in Bekasi is not constantly bad.
Let's take a look at Bekasi's air quality in June!
In June, there are some times when the air is moderately good, especially at the end of the month. This can be seen through the number of yellow spots, which means moderate.
Nonetheless, we recommend that Bekasi citizens who commute every day for work should be aware that the risk of exposure to air pollution is very high. From the results of a collaborative study by breath and local telemedicine companies in Jabodetabek in June - August 2022, the number of consultations related to asthma increases twice in 10-17 hours when PM2.5 is in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category, which you can see as an orange spot.
So, how to deal with this kind of situation?
Sometimes even the most health-conscious people can forget to consider air quality before making plans for outdoor activities. For those who may be most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, such as children, the elderly, those with lung or heart disease, and pregnant women, it is crucial to avoid bad air days. Try the following tips to enjoy the outdoors while reducing exposure to air pollution:
👉 Short Term:
- Check your air quality with Nafas before going outdoors (wear a proper mask if you have to)
- Get your friends to check the air quality too
- If pollution is consistently bad in your area, get a HEPA purifier
👉 Long Term:
- Bring this up to your local RT/RW - there might be trash burning going on in the area
- Bring this up to your representatives in the areas
Let's show and speak out that you care about this issue so that the people who could be doing more to address it do too!
