The City of Cape Town has committed R1.2 million to procuring additional air quality monitoring equipment in the current financial year.

This planned expenditure comes on the back of nearly R1.5 million spent in the last financial year to advance the work of the City’s Air Quality Management Unit within the Specialised Environmental Health Department.

The City’s Air Quality Management Unit focuses on the management of ambient air quality through the regulation of polluters in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act and the City’s Air Quality Management By-law.

As part of the financial investment in monitoring equipment, the City’s Scientific Services Department has also installed a camera monitoring system located on the Tygerberg Hills antennae to provide additional remote monitoring of air pollution episodes and industry.

A comprehensive network

“The statistics show that our air quality is better than most, if not all other metros. It is, however, difficult to state this categorically as many metros are not able to consistently report reliable data,” says,” Alderman JP Smith the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services.

“In this regard, the City’s ambient air quality monitoring network is the most comprehensive of all local authorities, with just the City of Cape Town and eThekwini being in the position to contribute to the 2016 National State of Air Report,” he adds.

The Alderman called on the community to assist in fighting air pollution by reporting polluting industries, notifying the City’s Metals Theft Unit of copper wire and tyre burning, and reporting smoking diesel vehicles to the Air Quality Management Unit.

“As transport-related emissions are our biggest air pollution challenge, we encourage the public to make use of public transport, ride a bicycle, or car-pool to help relieve congestion on the roads and limit air pollution,” he concludes.