Tourism and Environment Minister Ünal Üstel made a statement about the reports received from the air quality measurement stations and said that there has been a significant decrease in air pollution values due to the decrease in human activities following the partial curfew imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Stating that there are 9 air quality measurement stations in various regions of the country of the Environmental Protection Department, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Üstel emphasised that an average of 50 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide and dust values has been observed according to the data from these stations.
Expressing that the limit value in the Air Quality Regulation for nitrogen dioxide is 200 micrograms / cubic meter per hour on average, Minister Üstel said that the daily limit value for dust is 50 micrograms / cubic meter.
Explaining that the values resulting from human mobility and motor vehicle mobility in our country before the partial curfew were within normal limits, but that after 13 March these values were halved.
Minister Üstel emphasised that the use of masks and gloves is as important as the social distance in the fight against the coronavirus epidemic, and that citizens should definitely wear masks and gloves when going out. He also stated that how to remove the mask and gloves is as important as the use. Pointing out that there is very serious mask and glove pollution around the markets, pharmacies, banks and some public institutions operating in the country, Minister Üstel underlined that this situation creates great problems both in environmental pollution and in the spread of the epidemic. Mentioning that they prepared a public spot for the public to act consciously in this regard, Üstel urged everyone to be sensitive in order to overcome this epidemic as soon as possible.
Üstel asked everyone to be sensitive to nature and wildlife by saying that with the return of life to normal in the coming months, people will be born again and go to picnic areas and beaches. In this regard he expressed that the global epidemic has taught us a lot of things as a society and that any damage to the environment will return to us, if we do not take lessons from this situation.
Air quality measurement results before 13 March 2020
Nitrogen Dioxide – Dust values
0-200 µg / m3 – 0-50 µg / m3
Lefkoşa 60 µg / m3 – 48 µg / m3
Mağusa 69 / g / m3 – 47 /
g / m3 Girne 55 / / m3 – 45 µg / m3
Air quality measurement results after 13 March 2020
Nitogen Dioxide – Dust values
0-200 µg / m3 – 0-50 µg / m3
Lefkoşa 28 /g / m3 – 22 µg / m3
Mağusa 34 / g / m3 – 25 /
g / m3 Girne 25 / / m3 – 21 /g / m3
Source (Turkish) : Dt Ünal Üstel, Minister of Tourism and Environment
