MANILA, Philippines — The unusual haze over Metro Manila bolstered the urgent need to improve the country’s air quality monitoring systems and update air quality standards, an environmental group said Wednesday. In a statement, Greenpeace called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to improve its capacity to monitor particulate matter (PM) 2.5—a smaller and deadlier pollutant. Greenpeace said the government will be “stuck in an air pollution guessing game” without adequate and working air quality monitoring systems. “Bad air quality has negative impacts on the health of people and the economy. As early as last year, Greenpeace has already sounded the alarm that air pollution will rebound to pre-pandemic levels as the economy opens up,” Yu said.

Source: Philippine Star June 30, 2021 04:07 UTC