In Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, air pollution reached alarming levels last year, with 95 percent pollution recorded in the city’s main squares and heavily populated areas. Out of the 19 urban areas monitored, 16 of them are situated in the Erebuni district. This information was announced by the government and published by NEWS.am.

One specific instance of severe pollution occurred in Erebuni, where visibility dropped to less than 8 kilometers and the concentration of particulate matter exceeded 5,000 micrograms. The main pollutants present in these areas include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and various fine particulate matter such as PM10, PM2.5, and PM1. Moreover, there are significant levels of ozone detected along the roads.

The air pollution level in the newly developed urban areas has also reached a staggering 95 percent. Experts from the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia estimate the air pollution based on experimental publications and constantly monitor and evaluate it.

An expert from the Ministry of Nature Protection emphasizes that a reduction in pollution might not necessarily reflect in improvements during certain periods due to different lifetimes of various pollutants in the atmosphere. For example, one pollutant might have already decreased, resulting in low ozone levels. On the other hand, another pollutant might persist longer, leading to high levels of fine particulate matter. Hence, actions will not be taken to reduce the pollution level to 95 percent until a 75 percent improvement is achieved.

The environmental challenges in Yerevan are abundant and intricate. A key solution lies in expanding the urban areas and improving air quality in heavily populated regions, particularly in central areas.

An expert further states that heavily polluted and populated areas have not decreased in the past 35 years. Additionally, new urban areas are being developed in the Norq and Avan districts this summer. The projects are currently underway, with a primary focus on resolving transportation system issues.

Detailed information can be found in the video report by NEWS.am.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am