Yerevan mayor orders air purification program in 2 months

YEREVAN, December 16. /ARKA/. Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan has instructed the development of a 4-year program aimed at improving air quality in the capital. According to him, the issue of air pollution is frequently raised by Yerevan residents.

"Our websites display data online from 149 sensors measuring air quality, and in the winter months this information sometimes causes alarm," Avinyan said at a working meeting at the mayor’s office.

It was reported at the meeting that in Yerevan, every year, especially in the winter months, air pollution levels exceed safe limits. This is due to the accumulation of cold air in the lowlands of the Ararat Valley, which, in turn, leads to the buildup of various types of pollutants.

Considering this, Avinyan instructed to develop a corresponding 4-year program, which should be presented in about 2 months.

"It is necessary to understand what measures the city hall should take to improve air quality in Yerevan. This program should include the simplest methods, such as planting trees and forests, with specific measurable indicators. Certain restrictions should also be introduced, for example, regarding the use of old cars that emit a two-kilometer-long trail of smoke. They are also major air polluters," the mayor concluded.

The issue of environmental problems in Yerevan has been a topic of discussion for a long time. In particular, in recent months, residents have been complaining about smog and the smell of burning in various areas, which has intensified in the first days of winter. This is due to the large number of people heating their homes with wood stoves, which contributes to increased air pollution. In some areas, the PM2.5 levels are off the scale, reaching a “very unhealthy” mark.