High concentrations of dust are observed today, 4th April 2024, in the atmosphere, according to measurements from the ground Monitoring Stations of the Air Quality Monitoring Network of the Department of Labour Inspection.
As stated in an announcement by the Department of Labour Inspection, because the dust contains inhalable particles of small size, which may have a negative impact on human health, the public and especially vulnerable population groups (children, elderly, and patients) are advised to avoid outdoor activities until the phenomenon subsides.
Employers, based on the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health at Work (Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons at Work during Dust Episodes) Decree of 2022 (P.D. 410/2022), should take appropriate measures (organisational or technical), after assessing the risks to their employees who are outdoors.
Workers in such areas are recommended to use appropriate personal protective equipment.
Informatively, the latest hourly dust concentration values measured at 7:00 am in the following areas were:
Nicosia: 95.7 μg/m3
Limassol: 83.0 μg/m3
Larnaca: 86.6 μg/m3
Paralimni: 29.0 μg/m3
Paphos: 57.1 μg/m3
Zygi: 70.4 μg/m3
Agia Marina Xyliatou: 104.1 μg/m3
It should be noted that “dust” refers to inhalable suspended particles in the atmosphere with a diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10).
According to relevant legislation, the limit value refers to the average daily value and must not exceed 50 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).
You can find more information, as well as immediate and continuous updates, regarding the results of hourly measurements on the website www.airquality.gov.cy and on the “Air Quality Cyprus” app, which can be installed for free on a smartphone.
