Davao City’s air quality index placed on safe level

Davao City remains pretty much a safe zone in terms of the quality of air that its population is exposed to, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said.

Engr. Melvin M. Dapitanon, a member of the Clean Air Board attributed this to a quality air index derived from the current air pollution condition of the city through conduction emission inventories.

“We can determine through emission inventories which sources from the city has the biggest chunk on creating air pollution in the city,” he said.

Dapitanon added that the trend of the air quality index is based from suspended particulate matter (pm) or microgram per normal cubic meter (ncm) in the city is good and fair.

Particulate matter is defined as any type of solid particles in the air in the form of smoke, dust and vapors.

Virgilio M. Sangutan, president of the Davao Inventors Association, said that those particular matters are produced by sources such as burning of diesel fuels by vehicles, fossil fuels, road construction, industrial processes and operation of woodstoves.

“Some microscopic particles in the air can be breathed into the lungs causing increased respiratory disease and lung damage,” Sangutan pointed out.

When the air quality index is fair or has reached pm2.5, small particles are present that endangers the health because these particles travel deeper into the lungs through the smaller airways.

“These are the ones that enter our lungs,” Sangutan said.

Dapitanon also added that when the air is good, the measure per particulate matter is within pm10 to pm2.5.

However, Dapitanon noted that when the level reaches pm2.5, precautionary measures must be observed by people with respiratory and heart problems.

If measured microgram per normal cubic meter (ncm), Dapitanon said 0 to 54ncm is good; 55 to 154 is fair and 155 to 254 has unhealthy components.

National Clean Air Month

Local inventions that help reduce air pollution will be shown in an exhibit slated on Nov. 15 to 17 at the SangguniangPanlungsod Building, Davao City in observance of the National Clean Air Month.

Sangutansaid the event aims to promote awareness and educate the public to use electronic devices that contribute less pollution in the air.

“If we don’t take actions or make solution for this growing pollution – these may become our problem and we will go out on our houses with mask,” he said.

Sangutan added that 16 inventors will showcase their inventions like smoke catchers and electric tricycles made locally..

Price of the inventions during the upcoming exhibit have not yet revealed but he assured that price won’t be costly.

“We are creating local made electric tricycle and not like the China tricycle products,” he said, adding that there will be locally made electric buses and jeepneyssoon,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Davao City Airshed Governing Board urged the the public to patronize local inventions that promotes a clean environment.

It is in line with Proclamation No. 1109 issued in 1997 that declared November as “Clean Air Month through National Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Consciousness” to create awareness among motorists on the importance and benefits of vehicle maintenance.

Meanwhile, Republic Act No. 9512 or the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008, declared the same month as “Environmental Awareness Month” integrates environmental education in school curricula.

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