Nafas Annual Report: An Atmospheric Rewind
The year 2023 is marked by vibrancy and dynamism. Starting from the viral issue of air pollution in the virtual world, the emergence of environmental ideas from potential leaders, to the buzz surrounding the rising popularity of wind energy in society. Hearing about these intriguing developments, it would undoubtedly be better for us to take a moment to look back and reflect on the current air pollution conditions in our area. Let's check the data!
Air Pollution Levels Rise in 2023
Let's begin with the three-year average. Compared to 2022, the average pollution this year increased by 1 µg/m3. Although it is a decrease compared to 2021, the overall air pollution conditions in 2023 fall into the unhealthy category for sensitive groups.
Tangerang Selatan: Overall Winner in Pollution
In this Nafas Pollution report, city rankings are discussed. Tangerang Selatan takes the first place in its class with a PM2.5 value of 48 µg/m3. This occurrence has happened several times this year. According to resident reports, there is a significant amount of waste burning in the area. On the other hand, the proximity of Tangerang Selatan to the Steam Power Plant (PLTU) is also a contributing factor.
Additionally, Tangerang Selatan is accompanied by several other cities in the ranking, including some outside Jabodetabek. This indicates that air pollution is not only a problem in the DKI Jakarta area.
Unhealthy Air in Jabodetabek Almost Throughout the Year
The report also discusses how much time Jabodetabek residents have spent breathing unhealthy air. Throughout 2023, Jabodetabek residents have breathed polluted air for 1,561 hours, equivalent to 214 days. In contrast, Belitung has very little time with unhealthy air. Moreover, healthy air in Belitung reaches 178 days!
All Top 10 Most Polluted Locations in 2023 are in Jabodetabek
If you live in one of the areas mentioned above and have experienced respiratory problems this year such as coughing, flu, or even acute respiratory infections (ARIs), air pollution could be a major trigger! Our team has mapped the top 10 most polluted locations in the Breath sensor network, and all of them are in the Jabodetabek area. Serpong, Tangerang Selatan, once again claims the title of the most polluted location in 2023 with pollution levels exceeding 4 times the Annual Ambient Air Quality Standards of Indonesia (BMUAN).
Smokers in High-Pollution Areas: What's the Issue? 🥲
What if Jeng Yah from the Kretek Girl series lived in Jabodetabek, Gresik, or Sidoarjo in today's era? She might end up experiencing health issues due to a combination of pollution effects and smoking! Breathing in these areas is equivalent to smoking more than 787 cigarettes a year. This is not limited to adults but is also inhaled by babies, children, and the elderly.
Highest and Lowest Pollution Hours in 2023
Throughout 2023, there were 10 times with the highest pollution levels, seven of which occurred in Jabodetabek. The worst pollution hour is held by Punggul, Sidoarjo, at 13:00 on October 7, 2023, due to forest and land fires in that area. Air conditions at that time reached a hazardous level, with PM2.5 at 781 µg/m3. In the second position is Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, with PM2.5 reaching 557 µg/m3.
On the other hand, days with the best air quality often occurred in February. Even four of them coincided with Valentine's Day. Love is in the air, indeed! 😍 Unique moments for residents of Bekasi, Malang Raya, Bandung Raya, and DKI Jakarta.
The Nafas Report 2023 shows that air pollution remains a problem in many regions. Therefore, collaboration between sectors, especially government policies and regulations, is needed. Hopefully, the effort of residents to obtain clean air can be achieved soon, and the blue sky becomes a common sight.
Check the Nafas App before going outside and see you in 2024!
