THE Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Central Visayas has noted a 40 to 50 percent drop in air pollution in Talisay City, where its automatic station is located, amid the stringent measures Cebu is undertaking to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Engr. Cindylyn Pepito, chief of the EMB-Central Visayas Environmental Education and Information Unit, said a significant reduction of pollution has been recorded in their automatic station in Talisay City from March 10 to 22 this year compared to the same period in 2019.
For their monitoring, Pepito said they use the particulate matter (PM) 10 parameter, those very small particles found in dust and smoke and are common air pollutants.
She said from 62.91 milligram per normal cubic meter of PM 10 recorded on March 11 last year, the agency was able to measure only 34.52 milligram per normal cubic meter of PM 10 on March 11 this year.
"Pagsugod sa Covid, nakita nato nga niminus na gyud ang mga sakyanan nga nagdagan sa kadalanan. Naka-contribute ni siya sa reduction sa PM 10 (when the Covid-19 came about, we saw a decrease in vehicles on the road. This contributed to the reduction of PM 10)," Pepito said.
Mobile source, or air pollution emitted by motor vehicles or engine equipment that can be moved, is one of the contributing factors of environmental degredation.
She said they hope to finalize the results from their manual stations in the region next week. (WBS)