Air quality in Kutaisi

What is the current level of air pollution in Kutaisi?

Kutaisi is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the third-most populous city in Georgia, traditionally, second in importance, after the capital city of Tbilisi. It is some 221 kilometres west of the capital and stands on the Rioni River. According to a census which was conducted in 2014, Kutaisi has an estimated population of approximately 147,635 residents. Although the 2020 estimation places the latest figure as being 135,200 people.

During September 2021, Kutaisi was enjoying a period of “Good” quality air with a US AQI reading of 34. This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated using the levels of six of the most commonly occurring air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and both sizes of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). It can then be used as the metric when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. If data is unavailable for all 6 pollutants, a figure can still be calculated by using what figures there are. In this case, the only figure recorded was for PM2.5 which was 8.1 µg/m³. This level is less than the recommended level of 10 µg/m³ as suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Although no level of air pollution is considered as being safe. However, 10 µg/m³ or less is a goal to work towards.

With the level of pollution being at such a relatively low-level doors and windows can safely be opened to allow a flow of fresh air through the house. All types of outdoor activities can be enjoyed without fear. For up-to-date information about air quality, there is an app available from AirVisual which is downloadable for all mobile devices from your usual app store.

Does the level of pollution stay the same throughout the year in Kutaisi?

When studying the latest figures for 2020 published by IQAir, it can be seen that for eight months of the year the air quality could be classed as being “Moderate” with figures between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The cleanest month being June with a reading of 12.3 µg/m³. The worst month was January with a 19.1 µg/m³ figure. During the months of April, May and July the air quality was “Good” with figures of 10.9, 11 and 11.4 µg/m³, respectively. The remaining month of August achieved the target figure of being less than 10 µg/m³ (9.9 µg/m³) as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Records pertaining to air quality were first kept in 2019 when a figure of 16.3 µg/m³ was recorded. In the following year of 2020, an improvement was seen with a recorded figure of 14.4 µg/m³. This number may have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 situation as many vehicles were no longer in daily use as staff were encouraged to work from home in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus. Many factories and non-essential production units were also required to close which removed their emissions from the atmosphere.

Where does the air pollution come from in Kutaisi?

Environmental pollution is a global problem that negatively affects human daily life. WHO names air pollution as a major environmental problem, with an annual mortality rate of 7 million. That is why one of the main goals of the organization is to fight air pollution.

About 16 per cent of the world’s air pollution comes from car emissions. Car exhaust enters the human body and can cause various diseases, and in some cases intoxication. For example, if a person inhales car exhaust for 5-7 minutes whilst indoors, the body will be intoxicated, which can have fatal consequences.

Air pollution is also caused by the production of traditional energy, as it is produced through the use of oil, gas and coal. Consumption of these raw materials causes the release of chemical compounds that enter the human body through the air. It should be noted that the introduction of such compounds into the body by air causes harmful chemicals 80-100 times more adversely to health than when ingested from food.

Can anything be done to improve the air quality in Kutaisi?

It should be noted that the interest in electric cars is growing in the Georgian market. According to 2018 data, a total of 1392 electric vehicles had been imported into the country, and in 2019 their total amount was 2,214.

Georgia has significant potential for wind and solar energy. The potential of the country's wind farms is estimated at an average of 4 billion kWh per year. As for solar energy, its full annual potential in Georgia is equal to 108 MW. Georgia is slowly starting to switch to electricity from renewable energy sources, and the first step is the Kartli wind farm in Georgia.

A modern air quality monitoring system will be introduced in Georgia, which is based on the indicator measurement standards of the EU member states. Through the new automated monitoring network, it will be possible to improve air quality and eliminate health and environmental threats related to air pollution. The new monitoring system already operates in four cities - Tbilisi, Rustavi, Batumi and Kutaisi, and air samples are collected and analysed in twenty-five municipalities across the country every three months.

What effects does this polluted air in Kutaisi have on human health?

Polluted air has a devastating effect on human health. It can cause many acute or chronic diseases. Among them, the most common are cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. With high mortality, diseases such as heart attack, stroke and asthma significantly worsen the quality of life. The damage done by them is much greater than reflected in the mortality statistics. It is a recognised fact that polluted air has a particularly negative effect on newborns and causes irreparable damage to their mental and physical development.

Even strong healthy people can experience health impacts from polluted air including respiratory irritation or breathing difficulties during periods of heavy exercise or strenuous outdoor activities. The actual risk of adverse effects depends on the current health status, the pollutant type and concentration, and the length of exposure to the polluted air.

High air pollution levels can cause immediate health problems such as aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. It adds stress to the heart and lungs as they must work harder in order to supply the body with the amount of oxygen that it needs. Cells within the respiratory system can soon become irreversibly damaged.