Air quality in Rust'avi

What is the level of air pollution in Rustavi now?

Rustavi is a city in the southeast of Georgia, in the province of Kvemo Kartli. It is 25 kilometres south east of Tbilisi which is the capital city. According to the 2014 census, Rustavi had an estimated population of approximately 125,000 inhabitants.

Towards the middle of 2021, Rustavi was experiencing a period of “Moderate! Quality air with a US AQI reading of 83. This United States Air Quality Index number is an internationally used set of metrics supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is used to compare different cities throughout the world using comparable standards. It is calculated by using the levels of the six most commonly found pollutants. If figures are not all available, the figure is calculated using what information is available. In the case of Rustavi. The only figure was for PM2.5 which was 27.2 µg/m³.

With levels such as these, the advice is to close doors and windows to prevent more dirty air from entering the room. Those of a sensitive disposition are advised to remain indoors or if travel outside is unavoidable, then a good quality mask is recommended. The table at the top of this page will help with that decision.

Is the level of air pollution constant throughout the year in Rustavi?

Air pollution can be very volatile and, as such, can change very quickly depending on many variables, such as wind speed and direction and the strength of sunlight.

Looking back at the figures published by the Swiss air monitoring company IQAir.com for 2020 it can be seen that for seven months of the year Rustavi enjoyed “Moderate” quality air from February until the end of August. The recorded figures were between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. For the remaining five months of September until the end of January, the quality of air could be classified as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with figures between 35.5 and 55.5 µg/m³.

There were no records kept before 2020 when the mean annual figure was 31.3 µg/m³. However, this may not be a truly accurate reading because of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many vehicles were no longer used as the drivers were furloughed and not required to commute to and from work. There were also many factories and other non-essential production units which were temporarily closed in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus.

What is the main source of air pollution in Rustavi?

Environmental pollution is the pollution of the Earth and its atmosphere by physical, chemical or biological components that threaten the health, reproduction and survival of humans and other living organisms. These components are called contaminants.

Some pollutants can enter the environment naturally - for example, ash during a volcanic eruption. However, a large part of them are the result of various human activities. For example: burning coal and gasoline, dumping chemical industry waste into rivers and oceans. Pollutants negatively affect air, water and soil quality, as well as the landscape.

The most problematic air pollutants are solid weighted particles, i.e. dust. There are cases when pollution exceeds the permissible limit several times. The second most problematic pollutant in which direction we have the most excess is nitrogen dioxide, the main source of which is technically old, faulty cars. The source of solid weighted particles is complex.

The main source of air pollution in Georgia is vehicle emissions. It is made worse because many of the vehicles are over 15 years old and therefore lack the modern technology which is fitted to modern cars to filter and clean their emissions.

Rustavi is the most important centre of both light and heavy industry in Georgia. The main economic sector of the city is the processing industry. Large chemical enterprises are located in Rustavi. Concentration of mining and mining-enrichment industries is also found in Kvemo Kartli in the surrounding area.

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

In July 2020 a rally was held outside the main government offices in Rustavi which demonstrated against the poor air quality in the region.

It was said at the rally that the factories in the city are polluting Rustavi and the bordering villages in Gardabani municipality. The air in the neighbouring villages is so polluted and oncological diseases have become so common that the locals have given the place a new name - the second Chernobyl. The main concern was for the poor air quality that comes from the emissions from the factories and vehicles on the city streets.

The rate of air pollution, which was the main topic of the rally, is really alarming in today's Georgia. Despite promises from the government, the necessary measures have not been taken to reduce the pollution rate. Last year, a study by the International Energy Agency was published, according to which Georgia has the highest rate of death due to air pollution. Authorities have since demanded that the agency update its information and submit new figures. The new study found the condition, though not the worst in the world, but still very severe.

There should be a state program of air purification in Georgia. First of all, it is necessary to expand the air quality monitoring and observation network. This information should be easily accessible to the public. The issue must be resolved comprehensively. A prerequisite for this is well-prepared infrastructure, including road surface. If it is made of poor quality, the air will be polluted.

What detrimental effects on human health does the air in Rustavi have?

Polluted air can cause severe and multifaceted damage to human health. Polluted air increases the risk of infertility, various oncological and cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment and respiratory problems. In many cases, these risks are higher for different vulnerable groups, those with chronic diseases, the elderly, women and children. What makes the situation especially dangerous is the fact that the industrial and residential zones of the city are not separated from each other, and Rustavi does not have a general plan for zonal regulation.

Action for Georgia, which is accompanied by one of the most severe external effects, is air pollution by car exhaust. Studies show that polluted air causes asthma in children, cardiovascular disease, and impaired lung function. 10-20 per cent of cancer patients get sick because of intense inhalation of polluted air.