HIGH CONCENTRATION OF DUST TODAY 11 November

11-11-2019 10:25

High concentrations of dust are observed today

The Department of Labour Insurance of the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance announces that high concentrations of dust are observed in the air today, 11 November 2019, according to measurements from ground  Stations of the Air Quality Monitoring Network operated by the Department of Labour Inspection. The public, and particularly any vulnerable groups of population (children, older people, and the infirm) are urged to avoid circulating in open spaces until the observed episode has elapsed, as the small size of respirable particles in  dust may have negative effects on human health. Employers must take appropriate measures (organizational and/or technical) after assessing any risks that their  employees may face while working in open spaces, and it is recommended that workers in such spaces use  appropriate means of personal protection. In detail, the latest hourly dust concentrations measured at 9:00 am in the following areas are: Nicosia:                           123  μg/m3 Limassol:                         110  μg/m3 Larnaca:                           81  μg/m3 Paphos:                          116  μg/m3 Paralimni:                          34  μg/m3 Zygi:                                 53  μg/m3 Ayia Marina Xyliatou:         32  μg/m3 It is noted that ‘dust’ refers to respirable particulate matter of a diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) in the air.  According to the relevant legislation, a limit value not to be exceeded is set for the daily average concentrations at  50 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter). More information on the measured pollutant concentrations and real-time updates is available online at www.airquality.gov.cy, and also through the free mobile application ‘Air Quality Cyprus’. ---------------------------------- AM