High levels of dust, vulnerable urged to avoid going outside  

High concentrations of dust were being recorded on Saturday according to measurements from ground stations of the air quality monitoring network operated by the department of labour inspection.

The public and particularly any vulnerable groups of population (children, older people and the infirm) are urged to avoid moving around in open spaces until it has retreated as the small size of respirable particles in dust may have negative effects on human health.

Employers must also take appropriate organisational and/or technical measures 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 hourly dust concentrations measured at 9am in the following areas are:

Nicosia: 135.5 μg / m ³
Limassol: – μg / m ³
Larnaca: 125.7 μg / m ³
Paralimni: 79.1 μg / m ³
Paphos: 68.2 μg / m ³
Zygi: 124.1 μg / m ³
Ayia Marina Xyliatou: 186.1 μg / m ³

‘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’.