Istanbul's cleanest and most polluted districts have been identified

While air pollution in Istanbul continues to be monitored in real-time, the highest pollution rate this evening was measured in Göztepe. The region with the cleanest air in the city was Kumköy.

Air pollution, one of the biggest environmental problems awaiting solutions in Turkey and the world, will gain even more importance for Istanbul in the coming days. It is a matter of curiosity how air quality will be affected in the city, which is expected to be under the influence of North African desert dust for a week starting from March 11.

Air pollution in Istanbul is being monitored in real-time by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change's National Air Quality Monitoring Network and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Department of Environmental Protection and Control. Measurements specific to districts are made thanks to data obtained from air quality monitoring stations placed at different points in the city.

Air quality is classified according to established scales as follows:

• 0-50: "Good"
• 50-100: "Moderate"
• 100-150: "Sensitive"
• 150-200: "Unhealthy"
• 200-300: "Poor"
• 300-500: "Hazardous"

ISTANBUL AIR QUALITY REPORT

According to data obtained from the National Air Quality Monitoring Network, the regions with the lowest and highest air pollution as of 18:00 are as follows:

European Side:

Lowest pollution: Kumköy - 9 (Good)

Highest pollution: Aksaray - 56 (Moderate)

Anatolian Side:

Lowest pollution: Ümraniye - 32 (Good)

Highest pollution: Göztepe D-100 - 134 (Sensitive)

According to data from the IMM Air Quality Monitoring Center, Kumköy was the cleanest region with 12, while the area around the D-100 highway reached the "sensitive" level with 141.

How air quality in Istanbul will change in the coming days will become clear with the effect of the expected desert dust. Experts recommend that individuals, especially those with respiratory ailments, follow air quality data and take necessary precautions.

The air pollution rates in locations with high and low levels in Istanbul were measured at 18:00 in regions on the European Side as follows:

"Kumköy-9 (Good), Sultangazi 1-16 (Good), Sarıyer-33 (Good), Arnavutköy-37 (Good), Çatladıkapı-45 (Good), Silivri MTHM-48 (Good), Maslak-49 (Good), Alibeyköy-54 (Moderate), Beylikdüzü-54 (Moderate), Kağıthane-55 (Moderate), Esenyurt MTHM-55 (Moderate), Avcılar- 55 (Moderate), Yenibosna-55 (Moderate), Şirinevler MTHM-55 (Moderate), Bağcılar-55 (Moderate), Başakşehir- MTHM 55 (Moderate), Sultangazi MTHM-55 (Moderate), Sultangazi 3-55 (Moderate), Esenler-55 (Moderate), Mecidiyeköy MTHM- 55 (Moderate), Beşiktaş-55 (Moderate), Aksaray-56 (Moderate)."

The data for the Anatolian Side is as follows:

"Ümraniye-32 (Good), Selimiye 40 (Good), Sancaktepe-41 (Good), Ümraniye MTHM-43 (Good), Şile MTHM-43 (Good), Büyükada- 45 (Good), Sultanbeyli MTHM-51 (Moderate), Üsküdar-52 (Moderate), Kandilli-55 (Moderate), Kandilli MTHM-55 (Moderate), Üsküdar MTHM-55 (Moderate), Kartal-55 (Moderate), Kadıköy-56 (Moderate), Tuzla-69 (Moderate), Göztepe D-100-134 (Sensitive)"

IMM AIR QUALITY MONITORING CENTER DATA

According to the IMM Air Quality Monitoring Center, the data from the stations where air quality is monitored in the city as of 18:00 are as follows:

"Kumköy (Background)-12 (Good), Silivri (Urban)-14 (Good), Sultangazi 1 (Quarries)-14 (Good), Beylikdüzü (Urban)-23 (Good), Sarıyer (Urban)-32 (Good), Arnavutköy (Rural)-34 (Good), Sultangazi 2 (Urban traffic)-34 (Good), Çatladıkapı (Traffic)-38 (Good), Avcılar (City background)-45 (Good), Yenibosna (Urban)-46 (Good), Alibeyköy (Urban)-46 (Good), Sultangazi 3 (Quarries)- 49 (Good), Maslak (City background)-42 (Good), Esenyurt (Urban)-59 (Moderate), Başakşehir (Industrial urban)-60 (Moderate), Bağcılar (Urban)-61 (Moderate), Şirinevler (Traffic)-54 (Moderate), Sultangazi 4 (Urban traffic)-57 (Moderate), Esenler (Urban)-58 (Moderate), Aksaray (Traffic)-71 (Moderate), Kağıthane 1 (Urban Traffic)-58 (Moderate), Mecidiyeköy (Traffic)-60 (Moderate), Beşiktaş (Traffic)-59 (Moderate), Kandilli 1 (City background)-45 (Good), Üsküdar 1 (Urban traffic)-44 (Good), Selimiye (Traffic)-33 (Good), Ümraniye 2 (Traffic)-36 (Good), Ümraniye 1 (City background)-33 (Good), Sancaktepe (Urban)-34 (Good), Sultanbeyli (Urban)-44 (Good), Kartal (Urban)-49 (Good), Büyükada (Background)-37 (Good), Şile (Background)-47 (Good), Tuzla (Urban)-84 (Moderate), Kandilli 2 (Marine traffic)-51 (Moderate), Üsküdar 2 (Traffic)-51 (Moderate), Kadıköy (Urban)-62 (Moderate), D-100 (Traffic)-141 (Sensitive)."

News Source: AA