Traffic - No. 1 culprit causes air pollution

Dust pollution in major cities in Vietnam exceeds the permitted level, in which traffic is the biggest agent.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Duc, Head of Air Control and Import of Scrap, General Department of Environment, air quality in urban Vietnam is in alarm, especially in big cities.

"The dust and smoke pollution indexes in Hanoi exceed the permitted standards, such as 1-2 times higher dust content, especially in construction projects exceeding 5-6 times. Other such as NO ₂ and SO ₂ tend to increase , ' said Duc.

"Urban air pollution is mainly caused by traffic, accounting for 60-70%, emission sources such as industrial production activities, mineral exploitation, construction and people's activities account for only VND relative rules of pollutant emissions , " added Duc.

The means to join the traffic becomes intact
The main cause of urban pollution. (Photo: Le Hieu)

Mr. Marc Cagnard, Director of the French Trade Agency (UBIFRANCE) said: "Hanoi is the city with the lowest rate of public use of vehicles in Asia, with 4 million personal vehicles. That is the cause of frequent traffic congestion and serious pollution of the city ".

In order to improve the air environment in urban areas, experts believe that it is necessary to synchronize urban planning with traffic, enhance public transport such as buses and overhead trams and Traffic forms do not pollute.

"Cities need to see the development of public transport as a focus to reduce the risk of traffic congestion and pollution, restrict private vehicles, and collect environmental fees for vehicles" , Mr. Bernard Favre - International Director of Software Enterprise and Air Quality Simulation System (ARIA Technologies) proposed.

According to research published at Davos World Economic Forum, Vietnam is among 10 countries with low air quality and health impacts.

Professor Pham Ngoc Dang, Chairman of Vietnam Construction Environment Association, said that the air environment of most areas in the city is polluted with dust, the main reason is caused by the vehicles.

This expert warns, polluted air will seriously affect human health. Dirty air and small particles pose a risk of respiratory disease and lung disease. Dirty air is also the agent that causes higher incidence of ear, eye and skin diseases.

The workshop on air quality and urban traffic improvement will be held tomorrow, to present the current network of air pollution measurement stations in Hanoi and the air quality in the city, described. Future urban transport network, introducing simulation-based air quality prediction systems used in major cities around the world.