Do not forget to wear a mask, Jakarta's air quality is unhealthy on Wednesday

Jakarta—Jakarta’s air quality was recorded as unhealthy, prompting authorities to recommend that residents wear masks when spending time outdoors, according to the IQAir website on Wednesday morning with an update at 05:00 WIB.

IQAir recorded Jakarta’s air quality at 151 points with PM 2.5 pollutant concentration levels at 56 micrograms per cubic metre—21 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) annual air quality guideline value.

PM 2.5 comprises particles smaller than 2.5 microns (micrometres) found in the air, including dust, smoke and soot. Long-term exposure to these particles is linked to premature death, particularly among people with chronic heart or lung disease.

Health recommendations regarding current air quality, besides wearing masks, include avoiding outdoor activities, closing windows to prevent exposure to dirty air, and running air purifiers.

Jakarta’s air quality ranked fifth worst in Indonesia, behind South Tangerang, Banten province (189 points), Serpong (184), Bandung (170) and Bekasi (156).

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov) has an Air Pollution Control Strategy (SPPU) currently under evaluation from various aspects, including PM 2.5 trends, emission burden per sector and its impact on public health.

According to Pemprov DKI, air pollution control cannot be conducted by a single region in isolation, requiring integrated joint action across regional organisational units (OPD) and cross-regional collaboration around Jakarta.

Dudi Gardesi Asikin, Deputy Head of Jakarta’s Environmental Affairs Agency (DLH), stated that through strengthening the Air Pollution Control Strategy (SPPU), data-based evaluation and inter-district collaboration, air pollution control efforts would be better targeted and deliver tangible benefits for public health and Jakarta’s environmental quality.