New devices measure air pollution levels in Georgia
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How polluted is the air in Georgia?
Dozens of new devices have been installed in capital Tbilisi and around the country to determine the purity of the air we breathe.
Today head of Tbilisi City Council Giorgi Alibegashvili watched as dozens of new devices measuring air pollution levels were installed in Freedom Square in central Tbilisi.
The National Agency of Environment, who were behind the initiative, said the monitoring devices would produce exact information about the level of pollution in the air in different parts of Georgia.
National Agency of Environment of Georgia chairperson Tamar Bagratia said 60 monitoring devices had been installed in all parts of the country; 26 among them in the capital city.
Installation of new air pollution measuring devices has completed in Freedom Square in central Tbilisi. Photo by National Agency of Environment.
To date the devices have been installed in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Batumi, Kutraisi, Zugdidi, Zestaponi, Akhaltsikhe, Gori and Telavi regional centres.
The information obtained through the devices would be sent to laboratories in the United Kingdom (UK) for analysis, Bagratia said.
"When we get the outcomes of the lab analysis we will be able to assess the situation and think about relevant counter-steps,” Bagratia said.
Tbilisi City Hall welcomed the initiative.
Head of Tbilisi City Council attended the process of installing the air pollution measuring devices in Tbilisi. Photo by Tbilisi City Council.
Last month Tbilisi City Hall issued the Environmental Strategy 2015-2020, that envisaged reducing air pollution by improving vehicle standards and fuel quality, planting more trees and creating green spaces in the central city and raising awareness of environmental issues among other things.
Georgia’s capital city Tbilisi is ‘going green’ and will soon become an ecologically clean city with healthy and attractive environments, pledged Tbilisi City Hall.
Overall air pollution does not exceed the allowable emission levels in Georgia. The country’s National Agency of Environment announced this news after the Agency finished the first phase of measuring air pollution levels countrywide.
At yesterday’s presentation Agency officials said much of next year would be focused on air pollution; such as monitoring current air pollution levels, reducing pollution levels and mitigating the effects of current pollution issues.
Special devices will be installed at lakes and rivers throughout Georgia that signal to authorities when fishermen illegally use an electric current to kill large numbers of fish.
The Japanese Government has gifted Georgia three automatic air measuring stations worth $1.2 million dollars, that will be installed in capital Tbilisi and continuously measure air pollution.
Georgia is going to introduce regulations on the use of plastic bags in 2018. The country’s Parliament has begun discussing a legislative package which aims to reduce the number of plastic bags imported or produced locally.
Georgia is improving air quality monitoring to ensure that air quality throughout the country meets European standards.
Georgia’s National Agency of Environment has reported based on the latest data of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the air pollution in the country equals the average air pollution levels of Eastern European countries.