Wear masks as Jakarta's air quality reaches unhealthy levels Wednesday morning

Jakarta — Jakarta’s air quality was recorded as unhealthy, prompting residents to be advised to wear masks whilst outdoors, according to the IQAir website on Wednesday morning, with an update at 06:00 WIB.

IQAir recorded Jakarta’s air quality at 186 points with PM 2.5 pollutant concentration levels of 105 microgrammes per cubic metre—21 times higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) annual air quality guideline value.

PM 2.5 refers to particles measuring 2.5 microns (micrometres) found in the air, including dust, smoke, and soot. Long-term exposure to these particles is associated with premature death, particularly among individuals with chronic heart or lung disease.

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

Jakarta also recorded the second worst air quality in Indonesia, after South Tangerang, Banten, which registered 190 points.

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has an Air Pollution Control Strategy (SPPU) currently undergoing evaluation from various aspects, ranging from PM 2.5 trends, emission load per sector, to impacts on public health.

According to the DKI Provincial Government, air pollution control cannot be carried out by a single region independently, requiring integrated action across regional organisations and inter-regional collaboration surrounding Jakarta.

“Through strengthening the Air Pollution Control Strategy (SPPU), data-based evaluation, and inter-regional collaboration, air pollution control efforts will be more targeted and deliver tangible impacts on public health and Jakarta’s environmental quality,” said Dudi Gardesi Asikin, Deputy Head of the DKI Jakarta Environmental Service.