High concentration of dust is observed in the air on Tuesday, according to measurements from ground Stations of the Air Quality Monitoring Network operated by the island’s Department of Labour Inspection.
According to a press release, the public, and particularly any vulnerable groups of population – children, older people and those poor in health – were urged to avoid circulating in open spaces until the observed episode elapses.
The small size of respirrable particles in dust may have negative effects on human health, it warned.
Employers must take appropriate measures (organizational and/or technical) after assessing any risks that their employees may face while working in open spaces, and it is recommended that workers in such spaces use appropriate means of personal protection.
In detail, the latest hourly dust concentrations measured at 9:00 am in the following areas are:
Lefkosia:                                 127 μg/m3
Lemessos:                              139 μg/m3
Larnaca:                                  103 μg/m3
Pafos:                                        69 μg/m3
Paralimni:                                  71 μg/m3
Zygi:                                           62 μg/m3
Ayia Marina Xyliatou:              48 μg/m3
It is noted that ‘dust’ refers to respirable particulate matter of a diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) in the air. According to the relevant legislation, a limit value not to be exceeded is set for the daily average concentrations at 50 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).
More information on the measured pollutant concentrations and real-time updates is available online at www.airquality.gov.cy, and also through the free mobile application ‘Air Quality Cyprus’.
