Public urged to stay indoors because of dust

The public should avoid the outdoors due to dusty conditions on Tuesday, especially vulnerable groups, the labour department recommended.

According to the announcement, high concentrations of dust are observed in the atmosphere according to measurements of the department’s air quality monitoring stations.

Children, the elderly and the sick are particularly urged to avoid going outside unnecessarily until the dust episode has passed.

Workers in open areas are advised to use appropriate personal protective equipment, while the announcement added that based on the provisions of Safety and Health at Work (Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons at Work during Dust Episodes) Decree of 2022 (C.D.P. 410/2022) employers must take appropriate measures.

It is noted that “dust” means respirable suspended particles in the atmosphere with a diameter of less than 10 µm (PM10). According to relevant legislation, their value must not exceed 50μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) as a daily average.

Limassol’s hourly dust concentration, measured at 8am, was the highest at 126.4µg/m3–over double the health limit, followed by Nicosia at 98.5µg/m3, Zygi at 87.4µg /m3, Paphos at 80.2µg/m3, Ayia Marina Xyliatou at 58.2μg/m3 and Larnaca at 53.6µg/m3. Paralimni was approaching the limit at 45.2µg/m3.

Updated information on the results of the hourly measurements can be found here and through the free “Air Quality Cyprus” mobile app.