UAE has most polluted air | ExpatWoman.com
 

UAE has most polluted air

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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 27 June 2015 - 10:09

According to the World Bank, the UAE is number one in air pollution - beating even China and India!

http://time.com/3933487/pollution-climate-change-world-bank-report-uae/

The World Bank’s annual report on global environmental indicators, known as the “Little Green Data Book,” was released last week and contained a few surprises, including an unexpected contender for the country with the world’s worst air.

The distinction did not go to the two most populous countries, India and China, both notorious for pollution and whose capital cities in particular take turns atop the global air pollution rankings (depending on whom you ask), but to the United Arab Emirates.

According to recently introduced P.M. 2.5 criteria (measuring miniscule airborne pollutants smaller than 2.5 microns), the Middle Eastern nation comes off worst, with air containing 80 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter. That’s slightly higher than China’s at 73 micrograms and more than double India’s at 32.

The U.S., meanwhile, clocked in at a mere 13 grams per cubic meter.

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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 17:11
And there is a big red flag over Dubai, too! 160 at Zabeel park.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 17:08
Just googled the "air pollution-real time air quality index visual map" , some cities are very high for pollution.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 15:09
There was a report on Dubai Eye this morning disputing this I didn't catch it all as was parking however you may find it on their FB page
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 14:38
Mostly worried about my sporty children. I've always pushed them to play tennis, rugby and football and now wonder if I'm destroying their lungs!
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 14:16
A pilot told me he always knows when he is on track for Dubai when he sees the big grey mushroom on the horizon! I notice when I am not in Dubai my morning headaches disappear, I will be putting that to the test soon so will be interesting to see if they come back when I return next month. Not much can be done about the pollution outdoors but you can make your indoor space cleaner with houseplants that remove chemicals and toxins naturally Here's a list of useful plants, note some may be toxic for pets and children. http://greatist.com/connect/houseplants-that-clean-air
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 09:08
should we all buy air purifiers for within the house?
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 09:05
Well when I walk my dogs in the desert area behind Motorcity every morning, you can literally see the smog bank stretching from the Marina to the top of Shk Zayed rd, it's awful. It's VERY easy to see where the pollution comes from - gas guzzling, giant cars, sitting in endless traffic jams pumping out fumes. Plus all the trucks on the roads - do you think many of these are emissions tested? Although there are emissions tests for all the vehicles, it still all adds up. [b'>Although there are emissions tests for all the vehicles, it still all adds up.[/b'> Yes, but do you think all these old cars rattling round stand up to the emissions tests?
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EW GURU
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 09:03
Still not great - is no one else concerned to be living in even one of the top ten most polluted countries in the world? I'd always assumed that - aside from sandstorms - the UAE air was relatively good. But I guess it does explain why my children have all had pneumonia at least once! Not really concerned, as long as we can say the air is far less polluted than in Beijing, all is well.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 08:51
Well when I walk my dogs in the desert area behind Motorcity every morning, you can literally see the smog bank stretching from the Marina to the top of Shk Zayed rd, it's awful. It's VERY easy to see where the pollution comes from - gas guzzling, giant cars, sitting in endless traffic jams pumping out fumes. Plus all the trucks on the roads - do you think many of these are emissions tested? Although there are emissions tests for all the vehicles, it still all adds up.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 June 2015 - 08:27
This post has been weighing heavily on my mind. I always thought that there seemed to be a lot more coughs/colds (and worse) in terms of respiritory illness here but put it down to it being a travellers melting pot. I find it hard to imagine why there might be so much pollution and of what type though. There aren't that many people here and they are not that densely packed,certainly compared to what one sees of China. I'm worried about the long term issues that might be associated with it.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2015 - 12:44
Is there a break down anywhere of specific areas or contaminants? I would like to know more. Certainly there are areas in the UAE where the entire population is reported to have asthma, and the government consideration is to move the entire city away from it's existing location. Madinat Zayed for example, which is affected from by the pollution of the adjacent on-shore oil fields. Such figures do exasperate and skew the overall picture, though it is difficult to recall a clear sky in Dubai since c.2007.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2015 - 06:44
Is there a break down anywhere of specific areas or contaminants? I would like to know more.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 21:29
I think if you live/work at ground level you don't get to see the huge band of brown pollution that's often hovering, it's so much worse on days when there's no wind and when there is wind, with all the construction going on there's alot of fine cement dust in the air as well according to my Pulmonologist. Looking out over Dubai from the 60th floor every day, I don't doubt the survey at all.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 19:32
Still not great - is no one else concerned to be living in even one of the top ten most polluted countries in the world? I'd always assumed that - aside from sandstorms - the UAE air was relatively good. But I guess it does explain why my children have all had pneumonia at least once! It concerns me although obviously not enough to make me leave! My children's pediatrician told me a few years back that the air quality here is not good and it's one of the reasons why children get sick so often here.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 18:59
Still not great - is no one else concerned to be living in even one of the top ten most polluted countries in the world? I'd always assumed that - aside from sandstorms - the UAE air was relatively good. But I guess it does explain why my children have all had pneumonia at least once!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 15:05
I suspect the UAE's high ranking has much to do with that it's a small country while China and the United States are enormous countries. The pollution levels in the Chinese cities are averaged in with the rest of China, which is still very rural, so China comes out with a lower pollution score. But if you compare Dubai directly with Beijing, there's no question which is the most polluted city. No question, whatsoever. And the same is true for any large Chinese city.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 14:36
I heard this a couple of years back, comparing the air quality in Sharjah to the likes of some cities in China. I don't know...I was in Beijing in the Spring and had horrific respiratory issues and even eye issues following a 4 day trip. I spent some time dining on patios (okay, and beer gardens) and visiting a few tourist attractions and while the air seemed really clear and crisp--apparently not! Just can't believe it's the same same
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 13:33
I hesitate to believe this. Where did they take their reading from? In the middle of the industrial zone or in a residential area.. Have you looked outside?
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 June 2015 - 10:41
I hesitate to believe this. Where did they take their reading from? In the middle of the industrial zone or in a residential area..
 
 

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