HÀ NỘI — The first week of July witnessed an improvement in Hà Nội’s air quality, according to the city’s Environment Protection Authority under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

The air quality measured at monitoring stations around the city reached levels of ‘good’ and ‘average’. Significantly, the number of days with ‘good’ air quality rose in comparison with the previous week.

Mai Trọng Thái, the authority head, told Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) newspaper that the measured air quality index (AQI) fluctuated between 40 to 94 points which were equivalent to ‘average’ and ‘good’ levels. There was no day with air quality dropping to ‘bad’ level.

Urban air monitoring stations of Trung Yên in Cầu Giấy District, Kim Liên in Đống Đa District, Mỹ Đình in Nam Từ Liêm District and Tân Mai in Hoàng Mai District showed increases in good air quality days, accounting for 100 per cent, 71.4 per cent, 71.4 per cent, 57.1 per cent and 42.9 per cent respectively.

No monitoring indicator exceeds the Vietnamese standard.

At urban traffic site air monitoring stations on Hàng Đậu Street, Hoàn Kiếm and Thành Công areas, the AQI remained at the average level. Hoàn Kiếm air monitoring station, however, acknowledged one day with AQI at a good level on July 5.

Meanwhile, the records by two air monitoring stations in Minh Khai Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District and on Phạm Văn Đồng Street in Bắc Từ Liêm District showed that during last week, air quality stayed at the average level under the pressure of high traffic.

The highest AQI tracked in these areas were 94 and 78 respectively, with the highest daily concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) of 44.7µg/m3 and 40.29µg/m3 respectively, below the Vietnamese air standard of 50µg/m3. 

According to experts, rain over the next few days will also help to improve air quality in Hà Nội after a week-long hot spell. — VNS