Bangkok recently went on full alert because their air pollution level was high after their PM2.5 reading reached 152 which is considered unhealthy. The odd thing is, at the same time, Kuwait’s pollution level was reading at 155 and nobody cared. Nobody probably cared because 155 isn’t even high by Kuwait standards, I’ve seen it hit 358 and I’ve seen it in the 200s multiple of times. Even when it was at 358 which is three times worse than when Bangkok declared red alert, nobody in Kuwait blinked an eye.
So why is it that we don’t seem to care (me included) about the quality of the air we breathe. Is it because there isn’t anything we can do about it or is it because it doesn’t seem like an issue because nobody is making a fuss about it?
When in Bahrain last month my friend rented a Chinese car (BYD) and although I found the car pretty crap, one cool feature it came with was a built-in air quality meter because its a feature people in China care about because of the pollution levels there. With a touch of a button, the car could tell you how bad the air quality was outside the car. Sounds like a gimmick but it’s a car feature we should all probably want to have like the Chinese do.
If you want to check the current air quality in Kuwait, click [Here]
Thanks Nibaq
55 replies on “We take air pollution very lightly”
Your website is infected with malware fyi.
You sure its not your computer? Cuz I just ran a test and it gave me all clear.
you’re maybe right, cause yesterday i got a fake “update chrome” page while browsing 248am, im not sure what causing this.
Got a fake chrome update page pop up as well
Got a fake chrome pop-up as well. Think it’s malware.
So weird, will check again
This fake “Urgent Chrome Update” redirect is usually caused by adware installed on your computer. These adware programs are bundled with other free software that you download off of the Internet. Unfortunately, some free downloads do not adequately disclose that other software will also be installed and you may find that you have installed adware without your knowledge.
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-fake-urgent-chrome-update-virus/
I only get that page when I visit your blog mark.
It could be something that triggers the malware on your computer to popup or else it would popup on every page you visit and you would realize its malware. Probably my blogs category, or a word on the blog is causing your malware to activate with the pop up.
everytime I open a new page on mark248am1.wpenginepowered.com
my kaspersky notification popups
“dangerous URL blocked”
compactreturn.review/site/wp- plugindotjs
started since yesterday. im 100% sure my pc is adware free
I receive the following message for every page I open on the blog:
High Risk Website Blocked
Access has been blocked to ‘track.amishbrand.com’.
Thanks everyone, will check on this once I’m back in front of a computer 🙏🏻
Can you check now?
no more malware notification. its fixed i guess, Thanks
You’re Welcome. haha 😉
Just an update, the following message is still popping up on every 248am page.
“High Risk Website Blocked
Access has been blocked to ‘track.amishbrand.com’.”
me too. i thought the site was cancelled lol. it was weird
Mark where do we go to see the readings are they posted somewhere for public reading?
read the last sentence
A nice app is called AirVisual – lets you monitor air quality.
I was told by friends who work in that field that the kuwait readings are high due to dust in the air and thats its nothing to worry about since its not smog or typical pollution from factory emissions etc……
i was wondering the same.
I am not a scientist obviously but from i understood reading about PM2.5, dust particles are too big in size compared to what the PM2.5 reading checks, so the dust particles shouldn’t have an effect on the reading. Again, I’m not a scientist.
Plus, the last time I checked, Kuwait was ranked the 9th worst polluted place in the world, don’t think thats cuz of our dust.
Correction! Kuwait ranked 9th world wide for air pollution and came in 2nd for most toxic place in the world. https://248am.com/mark/news/kuwait-the-second-most-toxic-country-in-the-world/
Medical Geology: Dust exposure and potential health risks in the Middle East.
ABSTRACT
In the Middle East, dust and sand storms are a persistent problem delivering significant amounts of particulates via inhalation into the mouth, nasal pharynx, and lungs. The health risks of this dust inhalation are not well studied nor effectively characterized. Experiments were designed to study the chemical composition, mineral content, or microbial flora of Kuwaiti and Iraqi dust for its potential to cause adverse health effects. Multiple site samples were collected and chemical and physical characterization including particle size distribution and inorganic analysis was conducted, followed by characterization of biologic flora, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. Data indicates that the mineralized dust is composed of calcium carbonate over a matrix of metallic silicate nanocrystals and compounds containing a variety of trace and heavy metals constituting ~3 % of the PM10 particles by weight, of which ~1% is bioavailable aluminum and reactive iron, each. Microbial analysis reveals a significant biodiversity of bacteria of which ~25 % are known pathogens. Of the microbes identified, several have alpha and/or beta hemolytical characteristics and show significant antibiotic resistance. Viral analysis indicates a high level of virons with RNA viruses representing a large percent. The level of total suspended particle mass at PM10 constitutes an excessive exposure micro-particulates including PM-2.5. Cell culture and animal studies have indicated a high level of toxicity to these dust particles. These data suggest that at the level of dust exposure commonly found in the Middle East, coupled with their microbial and metal content, constitute a significant health risk, both acute and chronic, to deployed troops.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/eacb/905595b2b6602bab376cf6bca4a19fd28597.pdf
Don’t worry, Be Happy.
The Government has it all under control.
It is widely understood that prenatal air quality affects brain development.
Also many children who are considered “mouth breathers” wake up tired, and lag behind in brain development due to lowered oxygen levels during early growth.
Kuwaits air quality could be a detriment to the average IQ due to the brain development of future generations.
But it is not an issue. As this will not decrease average IQ in Kuwait.
Yes, but what is in the dust? In the past, not much consideration was given to the possibility of Kuwait’s sand/dust harboring dangerous bacteria and fungus. However, that consensus is now changing within the scientific community as new research has indicated that, despite the hot, arid climate, dangerous pathogens can survive in large numbers here. That is alarming. My personal take on this is that there is a conscious suppression of this type of information for the general public because… well, nobody would really live here if they knew for a fact that this place was a toxic wasteland.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323556419_Biodiversity_of_fungi_in_hot_desert_sands
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/eacb/905595b2b6602bab376cf6bca4a19fd28597.pdf
Consensus changed a long time ago. This started with ‘Gulf War Syndrome’ and it was more than just the Kuwaiti government trying to cover it up. The biggest risk associated with the dust is the depleted uranium particles that attach to dust. Kuwait used to have amongst the lowest levels of Multiple Sclerosis in the world (arabs/indians/africans have a genetic predisposition to not get MS). Now Kuwait has the highest level of MS globally.
I know I know… take a deep breath and relax…
Dust is nothing to worry about, really?
Why is it then taken into account when measuring the air quality index?
“Particulate matter / particles, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate matter, or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast, aerosol refers to combined particles and gas. Some particulates occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. Averaged worldwide, anthropogenic aerosols—those made by human activities—currently account for approximately 10 percent of our atmosphere. Increased levels of fine particles in the air are linked to health hazards such as heart disease,[14] altered lung function and lung cancer. Particulates are related to respiratory infections and can be particularly harmful to those already suffering from conditions like asthma.[15]”
Yep, that’s true. Chemical Engineering PhD here. Most of the stuff that is causing high AQI ‘Pollution’ values is the dust in the air. That being said, there are other significant man-made sources such as NOx and SOx from power plants and vehicle exhausts. You guys may remember that after the huge rain episode a couple of months ago, the air looked super clean. That is due to the water trapping the particulates and a huge decrease in automobile usage.
Lexus measures external air quality and will warn me if I try to open windows or moon roof. Thankfully I haven’t been warned for about a week. It also has an internal sensor that engages an air filter when air quality inside is poor. I’ve gone through 2 filters in 5 months (normally a filter should last 4 months).
On a related note. Check out AirVisual on IOS and Android. Its perfect for quick updated air quality readings. It has cool widgets for the phone and integrates nicely with the Apple Watch infrogram and other faces. I always know the air quality right there on the watch face (Right now its 56).
No way it’s 56 at 11:24 am on a weekday… the most legit source is what Mark posted (but keep in mind it’s in bayan)
The issue definitely needs to be highlighted.
Very Often I get alerts on my phone that the Air Quality in Salmiya is not good.
Just curious as to how they are taking the reading ? Where are these devices setup in Salmiya ? Is there an agency that monitors this constantly ?
Excellent questions!
– How the readings are taken: there’s a device for that
– Where are the devices: the one linked above is in Bayan, it is from the US embassy in Kuwait.
– Is there an agency that monitors this constantly: Yes, two actually. The first is the US embassy 24/7, but hourly. The second is the Kuwait EPA. They have sensors all over the country (I’m sure there’s at least one in salmiya). But they never say the levels they measure. In fact, our EPA has never published any measurements (I mean actual values, not “it’s fine, nothing to worry about”) it has taken of any sample, land, air, and sea.
Thanks Ipsom… Appreciate it
Is this a very important issue that many people here do not speak about, not realizing how dangerous the air quality is here and how many do not care. I believe we as the people can’t do anything about it and the higher ups are also not caring enough about their own citizens and the expats living here to take action. Many don’t realize how this will affect us in the long run and how if we don’t do anything about it now, nothing will be done later.
Hi Mark,
In the link you shared it shows that Kuwait index is 93. Was it really in the 200s and 300s (I assume so). Wondering why it can jump very quickly.
The readings of 200 and 300 were not taken today.
It is an absolute tragedy that… you haven’t reviewed the BYD for the blog yet
Build your dreams!
Soon a high profile member of kuwait will blame expats. soon there will be law saying expats should pay taxes for the air they breathe in our land because its causing air pollution. We all here to help the country in the development. we should all take initiative to tackle these issues.
We need to replace that infamous temp reading (now irrelevant) in the building off 5th ring rd & 40 with AQI reads..
Awesome
Brilliant idea
And what is the root cause…. Cattle farms in Wafra? Industrial ? Vehicle emissions? Drift from Saudi ?
I doubt anyone complaining about it would abandon their car(s) to lower the AQ index….
There are many causes! Here are the main causes (not in order):
– cars as you mentioned, especially once u realize that most cars in Kuwait really guzzle fuel. The cheap fuel price isn’t helping.
– low tree count, planting more trees has the potential to really limit pollution from dust and similarly sized particles.
– industrial: the vast majority of our industries are all petroleum related so the emissions will defifintely be bad. Combine that with an industry that has absolutely no regard to emission and environmental laws, and having some very close to urban areas (Shuwaikh, um alhayman)
– general lack of regard for the environment in general from the public… littering, no recycling, zero interest in using less fuel consuming cars. The mentality also extends to high places, like the Jaber bridge that just opened. It’s a really bleak situation :/
We’ll have the pollution thing sorted when we finally get metro trains by 2050-75 and rest of the world will already be moving out to their bases on other planets.
Malwarebytes giving warning :
Protection, Malicious Website Protection, Domain, 178.128.82.169, query.network, 0, Outbound,
i checked logs it started from yesterday.
To answer your question Mark, about why people don’t care… I think it goes down to absolute lack of knowledge (a surprisingly big percentile fall here), and just being jaded from all the bad readings.
The jadedness is exactly what happened to me, I remember that I wouldn’t dare workout or go for a walk outdoors if it’s above 120, now I just don’t even open it. I just see if the weather is nice.
Someone should write about in the newspaper headline, then (maybe) government will take it into consideration.
And why people don’t care? Because many people actually smokers. Why would a smoker care about air quality!?
Las Vegas is reading 14. Is that good or bad?
You could always get an anti-pollution mask from http://www.instagram.com/themaskcompany 😀
#shamelessplug