Top 5 Reasons Behind the Alarmingly High Air Pollution in Hanoi

Following the publication of Hanoi's air quality test results, authorities have provided explanations to reassure the public. Mr. Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network, mentioned that Hanoi is currently experiencing thermal inversion. This phenomenon often occurs during transitional weather periods, from hot to cold. 'Thermal inversion happens when sunny days are followed by calm nights, preventing dust, already high due to traffic and construction, from dispersing. As a result, a visible fog forms, which is actually trapped pollution. Many people may feel shortness of breath or chest tightness,' Mr. Tung explained. Normally, temperatures decrease as altitude increases, but in thermal inversion, the opposite happens. This results in a low-lying fog that traps pollutants near the ground, worsening air quality. Although it's a natural phenomenon, it does affect air quality measurements, so there's no need to panic during these days. Additionally, Mr. Tung mentioned that rural areas around Hanoi are in the rice harvest season, where straw burning contributes to smoke affecting the city. For example, Noi Bai International Airport is surrounded by straw smoke, prompting the Northern Aviation Authority to issue a formal complaint.

Finally, it's important to recognize a critical issue: while public awareness of environmental protection is steadily improving, it is still insufficient. The massive amount of waste produced continues to overwhelm the environment, leading to severe air pollution. Therefore, individuals must take responsibility for their actions and actively contribute to protecting their surroundings. Adopting the motto 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' and the principle 'Minimize waste to the environment as much as possible' in daily life can help reduce emissions and preserve the environment for everyone.

Simply put, air pollution refers to the deterioration of the air quality in a specific geographical area. It involves significant changes in the composition of the air, primarily caused by the release of smoke, dust, fumes, or foreign gases into the atmosphere. These pollutants often produce odors, reduce visibility, contribute to climate change, and pose serious health risks, particularly respiratory diseases. Air pollution can also damage both natural and constructed environments and harm other living organisms, not just humans. Both human activities and natural processes can contribute to air pollution.

There are many factors contributing to air pollution. If you think that only human activities impact air quality, you are seriously mistaken. Numerous natural factors also play a significant role in the cleanliness of the air.

• First, pollution from wind: Wind is another natural cause of air pollution. It can carry dust and pollutants over hundreds of kilometers, rapidly spreading contamination. This is possibly the most significant natural factor contributing to the worsening air quality in Hanoi.
• Second, storms: Storms often bring severe weather events that affect the air quality. The aftermath of a storm produces NOx, which contributes significantly to air pollution. Additionally, sandstorms carry fine dust particles (PM10, PM2.5), further deteriorating air quality and causing respiratory problems that are hard to prevent.
• Third, wildfires: Wildfires increase nitrogen oxides in the air, particularly due to large-scale fires and prolonged extinguishing efforts. While Hanoi doesn't experience wildfires, there are frequent fires in residential areas and factories, often caused by electrical malfunctions or careless human behavior, leading to similar consequences as large wildfires.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR - SEMI-IMPACTFUL (NATURAL CREATION) Human actions are one of the primary reasons why air quality suffers. This is mainly due to infrastructure development that lacks proper environmental protection. Much of the pollution comes from daily activities and industrial operations.

From simple tasks like cooking and commuting to large-scale industrial production, these activities are progressively causing more severe environmental damage, especially in developing countries. Unfortunately, Vietnam is no exception, where rapid industrial growth is only matched by a government-driven push for environmental conservation, while public awareness remains relatively low. Here are some key factors contributing to air pollution caused by human activities:

• First, smoke and dust from factories (industrial waste): Air Visual has ranked Hanoi as one of the 10 cities with the worst air quality globally, with the AQI always above 200, indicating severe pollution. This situation leads to the question: why? Excessive industrialization is the primary cause of escalating air pollution. It's not only the air but also the water, land, and food environments that are severely impacted. Factory emissions contain high concentrations of CO2, CO, SO2, NOx, unburned organic materials like soot and dust. If waste gases are not properly treated, it poses significant health risks to people living in the area. For example, in Hanoi's urbanization process, construction activities create dust pollution; roads being expanded with long construction delays add to the 'construction pressure,' further polluting the air.
• Second, traffic-related pollution: The density of traffic and the number of vehicles emitting smoke and dust in Hanoi is overwhelming, making air pollution inevitable. Furthermore, efforts to encourage public transportation usage have not yet resolved this issue due to the city's high population density. The large number of cars, motorbikes, and other vehicles using fossil fuels contributes significantly to air pollution. In developing countries, outdated vehicles and poorly developed public transportation infrastructure worsen this situation, creating a mismatch between infrastructure and environmental protection measures, further exacerbating pollution.
• Third, household waste: Activities like cooking with wood or charcoal contribute to air pollution. Open burning of waste in some areas also increases CO2 emissions beyond the normal levels.

However, these causes are entirely manageable, as they are simply a matter of aligning industrial and modern development with environmental protection over time.