Monitoring air quality at embassies, consulates

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 3: The US Department of State and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are working together to record air quality at US Embassies and Consulates around the globe. As part of this initiative, US Embassy Kuwait installed an air quality monitor (AQM) on Embassy ground in the Bayan district. The data for the Embassy’s Air quality Monitor in kuwait is available at the EPA AirNow website. Please note that data from the Embassy’s monitoring station may differ from the air quality in other areas of the city.

The US Embassy’s air quality monitor is just one health resources for the US citizen community. The monitor measures Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 particulates on and near the Embassy compound. PM 2.5 is a standard recognized by the US EPA and allows us to compare against US standard measures. Particulates less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM 2.5) are referred to as “fine” particulates and are believed to pose the largest health risk – those risks are likely to be more severe for sensitive populations, including people with heart or lung disease, children and older adults.

The US EPA has developed a formula to convert PM 2.5 readings into an air quality index (AQI) value that can be of assistance in making health-related decisions. For example, an AQI value of 50 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality. For more information on AQI and how it is calculated, please visit the US EPA website. The following chart is a useful guide to air quality readings you may see from the Embassy’s air quality monitor.