Air pollution in Kenya has been on the rise in the recent past. City dwellers are among the most affected people as they are at a higher risk of exposure to toxic industrial wastes that are released to the atmosphere.
The rate of pollution is rampant in major towns in the country leading to increased respiratory infection, lung cancer, stroke and heart diseases among other pollution-related ailments. Statistically, most of those individuals who suffer from pollution-related ailments reside in major towns.
Apart from air, environmental pollution in Kenya has direct effects on water, soil and vegetation. According to World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills approximately 7 million people globally every year.
According to a research conducted by the State of the Global Air in 2019, air pollution in Kenya has a risk factor of claiming close to 19,000 people every year. Among the fatalities, 5,000 are due to ambient air pollution, while the remaining ones is attributed to indoor pollution.
The increased vehicle ownership has exacerbated the rate of air pollution in Kenya. The decline of air quality in the country has also been linked to the continued use of solid fuel as the most common source of energy.
Nairobi is among the most affected places in terms of air pollution, as particulate matter (PM) in regions such as Industrial area continues souring to dangerous levels. The PM concentration in Nairobi is in contravention to WHO standards. Additionally, black carbon concentration in the Capital City of Kenya rates among the highest in the entire globe.
There’s an imperative need for cleaner vehicles in Nairobi to mitigate the rate of air pollution. The existing gaps resulting to unprecedented levels of environmental pollution must be guided under stringent monitoring strategies.
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