THE Occupational Health Division under the Department of Health is planning to monitor air quality in Yangon throughout next year in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, said Dr Mya Thein, an assistant doctor from the division.

The division will set up three India-made high volume samplers (HVS) provided by the organisation – one each in a crowded neighbourhood, a commercial area and an industrial zone, he said. The areas will be Mayangone and Kyauktada townships and Shwe Pyi Thar Industrial Zone, respectively.

Dr Mya Thein said the machines will be used two days a week – 24 hours on these days – to measure particulates and harmful gases in the air such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen.

The division had originally announced during a meeting last December that it planned to monitor air quality throughout 2007 but the project did not get off the ground in time.

To prepare for next year’s project, the division held a three-day course starting on September 18 at its office in Ahlone township to provide training on air quality monitoring. About 40 people attended, including trainees and observers.

Officials from the division provided lectures on theoretical and practical aspects of air quality monitoring, maintenance for the sampling machines and laboratory testing techniques on harmful gases.

The lectures also covered sources and types of air pollution and their effects, and basic meteorological phenomena related to air pollution.

Dr Soe Tint, the director of the division, said the monitoring project is being conducted to prevent health and social problems related to air pollution.

“Particulates and gases can cause respiratory diseases and lung diseases, as well as headaches and eye and throat problems,” he said, adding that it can also affect buildings, crops and the environment.

Unpolluted air in the lowest layer of the atmosphere contains 21 percent oxygen but pollution lowers the percentage of oxygen and elevates the levels of potentially harmful particulates and gases.

Dr Min Than Nyunt, a deputy director of the division, said cars and dusty roads are the main sources of air pollution in Yangon.

“In my opinion, the industrial sector still does not have much of an effect on air quality here,” he said.

Dr Mya Thein said the monitoring process will provide baseline data for the study of Yangon’s air quality.