A new study gives a full-year characterisation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are gases emitted into the air when anything is burnt that has carbon during industrial processes or use of certain machines.
Construction worker Draupadi has had a liver condition for eight years. Though her doctor advised her to stop working because dust is a major reason for her deteriorating health, the 43-year-old knows of no other way she can earn for her family.
A ban on 19 single-use plastic items will be implemented from July 1. Experts, however, emphasise that apart from banning some items, the authorities should not only focus on minimising single-use plastic and promote their proper recycling, but also look at sustainable alternatives.
An analysis conducted by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences, has revealed that PM10 levels in April 2022 were the highest for the month in the past four years.
Bulbs containing mercury continue to harm the environment and affect human health due to improper disposal. A new study by Toxics Link, which works on environmental poisoning, found that cities in India, including Delhi, lacked a take-back mechanism for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and fluorescent tubelights (FTLs) and the discarded bulbs ended up in landfills or were inappropriately recycled by the informal sector, in both cases releasing mercury into the environment.
According to a study conducted by Toxics Link, 84% of waste workers in the city find sanitary waste in regular household waste and 70% of waste workers said they always find menstrual waste mixed with household waste. In Delhi, sanitary waste isn’t segregated, almost all these items reach the landfill.
A study conducted by Childhood Enhancement Through Training and Action (Chetna), an NGO, on psychological effects of Covid-19 on slum and street children in Delhi found that 56% of them experienced mild psychological distress and 13% had moderate issues.
The Delhi environment department has prepared a draft policy to phase out single-use plastic. The policy emphasises on adoption of alternatives to single-use plastic items, including plastic sticks, cutlery, cigarette packets and packing films used in sweet boxes, and MoUs will be signed with companies or societies for direct procurement of alternative products.
An analysis done by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), shows this year Delhi saw 179 days when PM2.5 concentration was within the national ambient air quality standard of 60 micrograms per cubic metr
Microplastics are small plastic particles of less than 5mm size. Microbeads added in cosmetics is an example of primary microplastics while secondary microplastics are generated when discarded plastic items break down into small particles over time as plastic does not biodegrade.
A study conducted by Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago over a period of two years has revealed indoor PM2.5 levels in Delhi to be extremely high during the winter.
The layer of smog thickened over Delhi on Thursday as the capital’s air quality deteriorated and reached the brink of ‘severe’ air quality. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was 400 in ‘very poor’ category at 4 pm. However, it slipped into ‘severe’ category by 6 pm, shows data from the Central Pollution Control Board.
The air quality deteriorated on Wednesday and reached the middle of “very poor” category. The overall AQI was 361 against 290 in the “poor” category on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the city recorded the lowest night temperature of the season at 9.2 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, at Safdarjung.
Outdoor activities, including walks, should be avoided till 10am in the winter season. Reason: an analysis by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences, found the PM2.5 level peaking between midnight and 10am.
Over 630 complaints regarding open biomass burning were addressed by the agencies concerned in the past 12 days.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated as it entered the "very poor" category for the first time this season. The overall air quality index (AQI) of the city was 303 on Tuesday as against 281 in the "poor" category on Monday.
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated slightly on Tuesday as both PM10 and PM2.5 levels started rising from midnight.
All identified industries in the capital have switched to cleaner fuels or PNG, but the neighbouring states are yet to shift to cleaner fuels completely. Experts said the use of non-cleaner fuels in the authorised or illegal industries in the region can affect Delhi’s air quality.
New Delhi: Delhi’s air is most polluted from November 1 to 15, according to an analysis of the PM 2.5 levels of the past five years by the capital’s environment department. The average PM 2.
The environment department has identified 150 hotspots based on complaints received on the Green Delhi app in the last one year.