Air Quality in Dushanbe and Actions to Take

Air Quality in Dushanbe and Actions to Take WHAT POLLUTANTS ARE MEASURED • Fine particles, known as PM 2. 5. These are particles 2. 5 micrometers in size or smaller, which is 20 times smaller than the width of a human hair. • Comes from many sources, is made of many pollutants, and tends to be a good indicator of general air quality. • Can reach deep into lungs. Smallest particles can enter bloodstream. • Linked to wide range of health effects: respiratory, cardiovascular, earlier death, lung cancer. WHAT THE LEVELS MEAN SO FAR The U. S. Air Quality Index has been mostly Moderate and occasionally worse Only one month of data are available • For many hours and days, the PM 2. 5 line is in the yellow band. • Moderate AQI is not likely to be a health concern for most people. A few days have been Unhealthy or Very Unhealthy • Most periods of Unhealthy or Very Unhealthy AQI lasted 1 or 2 hours and occurred overnight. • The data spike in the Hazardous range was a data anomaly. • The best air quality is in the afternoon. Dushanbe is in low air pollution season. Air quality is likely worse November-February. FIND HOURLY AIR QUALITY DATA AND MAKE DECISIONS IN REAL TIME • Understand the U. S. AQI and messaging on the other side. Ask your questions to the Health Unit or Air. Pollution@state. gov. • Find hourly air quality on www. airnow. gov. • Download apps like www. airvisual. com or www. aqicn. org. • It's ok to be active outside. • Children, older adults, people with lung or heart disease: reduce time & intensity of activity. Take a lot of breaks. If you have symptoms, reduce activity or move indoors. • Children, older adults, people with lung or heart disease: avoid all physical activity outdoors. Everyone else: avoid long, intense outdoor activity. • Everyone: if you have symptoms, move indoors. Run room air cleaners at home if you have them.

Understanding the U. S. Air Quality Index KEY FACTS ABOUT THE U. S. AQI Why it is useful • • Describes how clean or polluted the air is in a consistent way across locations Higher AQI means higher air pollution levels and higher concern for effects on health Describes possible health concerns for sensitive groups and everyone else Gives advice on decreasing time and activity level outdoors to lower exposure Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution How U. S. embassies and consulates report AQI Air Quality Index • Posts report the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Now. Cast AQI to describe recent air quality. • The Now. Cast AQI is based on fine particle (PM 2. 5) or ozone levels averaged up to several hours. • Pollutant levels are converted to an index value and put into a colorcoded category: Good to Hazardous. • Good and Moderate means air pollution is below the standards that EPA has set to protect human health. • Good AQI poses low health risk. • Hazardous AQI poses high risk for everyone. • All posts report a Now. Cast AQI for PM 2. 5. • Posts that measure ozone report a separate Now. Cast AQI for ozone. • EPA also has a daily AQI based on daily levels of 5 pollutants: PM 2. 5, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide. The highest index value is reported. Who Needs to be Concerned? Good 0 -50 Moderate 51 -100 What Should I Do? It’s a great day to be active outside. Some people who may be unusually sensitive to particle pollution. Unusually sensitive people: Consider reducing prolonger or heavy exertion. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. These are signs to take it easier. Everyone else: It’s a good day to be active outside. Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101 -150 Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers. Sensitive groups: Reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. It’s OK to be active outside, but take breaks and do less intense activities. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. People with asthma should follow their asthma action plans and keep quick relief medicine handy. If you have heart disease: Symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue may indicate a serious problem. If you have any of these, contact your health provider. Unhealthy 151 -200 Everyone Sensitive groups: Avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Move activities indoors or reschedule to a time when the air quality is better. Everyone else: Reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. Take more breaks during all outdoor activities. Very Unhealthy 201 -300 Everyone Sensitive groups: Avoid all physical activity outdoors. Move activities indoors or reschedule to a time when the air quality is better. Everyone else: Avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Consider moving activities indoors or rescheduling to a time when the air quality is better. Hazardous 301 -500 Everyone: Avoid all physical activity outdoors. Sensitive groups: Remain indoors and keep activity levels low. Follow tips for keeping particle levels low indoors. Note: Values above 500 are considered Beyond the AQI. Follow recommendations for the Hazardous category. Additional information on reducing exposure to extremely high levels of particle pollution is available below. TIPS ON UNDERSTANDING THE U. S. AQI TIP WHY Good AQI does not mean zero risk of health effects. Hazardous AQI does not mean health effects will absolutely occur. The AQI is based on scientific evidence, which has not identified a level of air pollution that has zero risk of health effects. The science describes how risk differs between higher and lower air pollution levels in a group of people and does not predict how any individual will be affected. The AQI may not apply for low-cost sensor readings indoors or readings less than 1 hour. The U. S. AQI is based on the science for outdoor air pollution and longer periods of time. Although sensors report AQI, the health messaging may not be the same for indoor air pollution. The AQI of multiple pollutants should not be added together. The science is not clear whether the health risks are larger when multiple pollutants are high at the same time. There are many reasons why an air quality index reported by the host country government differs from the U. S. AQI. Different formulas or pollutants may be used to calculate the index. Also, pollutant levels can vary across locations in a city. Learn More: AQI: https: //www. airnow. gov/index. cfm? action=aqibasics. aqi. Extreme levels of particle pollution: https : //www. airnow. gov/aqi-basics/extremely-high-levels-of-pm 25. General air pollution: https: //www. epa. gov/pmpollution/particulate-matter-pm-basics and http: //cas. state. gov/airquality/health-impacts-of-air-pollution/. Bureau of Medical Services (Med. Air@state. gov)