UAE has more polluted air than India or China

[Keith Discovering]

http://http://time.com/3933487/pollution-climate-change-world-bank-report-uae/ (http://time.com/3933487/pollution-climate-change-world-bank-report-uae/)

I wasn't expecting that :ooh:

[harry the cod]

Link doesn't work.....or maybe it's blocked for some unknown and unconnected reason?!! Will try my Victor Papa November computer.

Harry

[fatbus]

Just goggle it
Almost 3 x worst than India

[Stone_cold]

There is an extra http:// in the link . Happens when you post a hyperlink unless you erase the default .

http://time.com/3933487/pollution-climate-change-world-bank-report-uae/

[LHR Rain]

Does this report surprise anyone? Just look at that thin orange pollution layer as you arrive or depart in DXB. That is the air you breathe. Explains all the respiratory problems that the Drs have to deal with here.

[Keith Discovering]

Finger trouble...the link works now :)

[Cloud Bunny]

Hmmm, that'll be why I've had a cough for the last 9 months then!
Still a little surprised it's worse than China though.

[Commuting Pilot]

Apart from the actual environment, there is not a lot of heavy industry in the UAE, I'm confused too

[Payscale]

Must be the ever present dust:uhoh:

[BDiONU]

Dust, sand and not forgetting all the concrete powder. Is there anywhere in Dubai that is not having major building work going on?
It's like sharks, if they stop swimming (even while sleeping) they drown, if Dubai stops building.......

[Wingman82]

What a useless topic and discussion...

[Old King Coal]

We'll having just shipped in a load of workers from the 'subcontinent', there's definitely something wrong with the smell of the air in the cabin, wherein it's definitely a bit funky back there!

[Payscale]

Wingman....

Actually its very relevant. Especially if your children are asthmatic....

King coal.....

Thats just racist and an unnecessary comment. Shame on you.

[nolimitholdem]

Not racist, just inaccurate. You get the same eau de BO on any ULR to the US. Smell has a race?

I'm pretty sure the biggest source of pollution is the stuff that spews from the mouths of Fleet and HR during management washups. Not to mention the bilious material that TC emits on a regular basis.

[clear to land]

OKC-I used to be pretty put off by the smell too-still am to be honest, however maybe time for a reality check for you. Would you pay >10% of your wage for deodorant-I know I wouldn't. Also, as someone else said, try going into the cabin on any flight greater than 7hrs (with the possible exception of Japan) and the olfactory assault is the same (or even in the crew rest). If your comment was tongue in cheek-then disregard this post. Like everyone else too tired to really interpret nuances at the moment.

[Stone_cold]

NoLimit , not inaccurate . He didn't state that it was limited to only one region .
Clear to land - Same , and inability to afford deodorant does not change the fact that some may find the resultant odour offensive .
Payscale : maybe unnecessary , maybe not politically correct , but if this is the standard , then the majority of what is posted here would fall into this category .

Most think the same and get real , it is not just on flights . OKC said it . Seems it was a fact on his flight , and actually no one is disputing the accuracy , just deflecting the target( Japan/US flights >7 hrs ) for a more palatable PC statement .

I recall a recent thread on the subcontinent "licencing issue" and hiring at EK . This was deemed offensive to some and summarily dismissed by the majority as a case of "if the cap fits ".

[LongRangeNav]

Amazing how quick a thread drifts. Serious concerns about pollution vs body odour? Really? The thread has relevance as it is yet another nail in the coffin for reasons not to live in the Sandpit. Start asking around and you will soon see how many people are affected with various respiratory problems, asthma, coughs that won't go away etc. It is certainly relevant if you want to bring a family to live here. Previously I thought how I would never want to live in China/HKG for very same reason yet potentially we are doing the same here. Food for thought!

[flyinthesky]

Come on.... what are we all worrying about.

I guarantee that in a couple of weeks the great impartial news source that is the Gulf News, will be carrying a picture of someone in a brilliant white robe handing over a new award for 'The Worlds Most Improved/ Cleanest Air' to some minion marginally lower on the pecking scale.

It will be the usual piece of bling from Karama but because they have an award the problem will have been solved.

We all know the score here, hand a local an award and he is suddenly the worlds best at everything!!!!!

[Saltaire]

Having lived in Asia, flown to India etc, there is no way the UAE more polluted. I'm sure it's related to the sand particles in the air.

Chinese cities are far worse having breathed the air - try HKG on a smoggy day. Doctors in HKG are known to recommend people with asthma they have no choice but to move.

UAE is no island in the south pacific but it's not that bad IMO.

[MosEisley]

Yeah, Saltaire, those scientists are full of crap. Trust your nose and it's infinite wisdom. :ugh:

[GA Button]

Scientific research has been known to be strangely in line with the opinions of those sponsoring it...

[Old King Coal]

For those whom might try to insinuate that I'm some sort of 'racist' for pointing out that various flights from the 'Asian subcontinent' are invariably afflicted by a mal-odour (within the cabin), I would point out that the v.beautiful Mrs OKC just happens to be a black African, and that she & I (when not living in this fake & artificial Middle East ****-hole), are resident in West Africa, and wherein - and this might take some of you by surprise - the locals there are seemingly much less afflicted by BO, most probably because they're evidently not averse to the frequent use of soap and water.

[Wingman82]

@ Payscale: I agree actually, have not thought of respiration problems people or children can get. Anyway, the air here is definitely a bit strange from time to time. Especially passing around 8000ft!?

[Baywatcher]

It must be mainly caused by the inversion

[alwayzinit]

In the 9 years we have been in the pit Mrs A , an asthmatic , has seen a reduction in her lung capacity from 80% to 51% we discovered just recently!
This obviously was the cause of some pretty serious discussions about wtf etc!
To be honest I was in shock, thinking I was about to loose my best friend and lover! My sentiments towards this region became more than a little extreme!!
Fast forward and Mrs A is seen by a respiratory consultant at the City Hospital and is put on a new drug. Within a month her lungs regained over 20% which was miraculous .
We are now waiting to see how 3 months in the Blighty countryside will compare when she gets her lungs checked out again in Seotember.
Contingency plans are cocked ready to fire should the needs be then.
Sadly one bucket is much fuller than the other, non aromatic , one!

[Kapitanleutnant]

Alwayz…

That is GREAT news about the wifey!!! Excellent news to share!

I'd be curious how the new environment "up north" will do. I can't imagine it would make it worse, but all the best with this!!

K

[skysx33]

LOOK OUTSIDE ON LANDING !!!!!!!!

you can see this Yellow Layer above DXB ... and it goes into A/C ... you never smell it ???

[olster]

Very amusing, OKC and spot on!

[alwayzinit]

Thanks Kapt'n

I agree with the sentiment regarding the "green and pleasant land"! Though have to cover all the variables before going firm on what I expect to be the outcome. If I can avoid stacking shelves in the UK it would be good!!!

The Doc at City Hosp is called DR Asif,( spelling maybe different), he gave Mrs A a mini nebulizer type inhaler. I will get the name from her and post it later for reference.

Alwayz:ok:

[Dubaian]

It is not just sand and dust. Dubai burns immense amounts of gas to produce it's electricity and water plus in the aluminium smelter next door to the main power plants in Jebel Ali. The amounts of CO2 emitted are mind boggling. Plus a good deal of sulphur and sulphurous products are spewed out. If we had any rain here it would be very, very acidic.


Not to be outdone, Abu Dhabi also built a huge smelter.


I'm not sure where the small particulates come from - in places like Oxford St., UK, diesel vehicles are commonly blamed. Our trucks here are certainly not well maintained but are there enough of them to cause a problem?


Tehran has terribly visible air pollution in the winter time - trapped by temperature inversions. That is mainly caused by traffic - since on a 2/3 day holiday even in still weather conditions it vanishes. Photochemical smog caused by the actions of sunlight at high altitude (the city is about 1200m up) reacting with dirty exhaust products. Same as in Mexico City.


UAE doesn't have the altitude but we have plenty of sunlight - could this be a contributory factor?


Wherever it comes from, and whatever causes it, air pollution in UAE is a serious problem. And it won't get any better soon. DEWA are in the process of awarding contracts for the next major power station. Coal-fired this time. Just to add to the mix of muck in the air.

[Dubaian]

And be afraid....


I tried to cut and paste little chunks from the OP's link report but it exceeds a PPRuNe 'text' limit.
I invite you to look at the Energy figures in the UAE and compare with China & India.
Scary stuff.

[Legal0978]

If this keeps up, population of UAE locals will keep on decreasing. If only the government can take action of this problem immediately.

[coot]

https://portal.dm.gov.ae/AirQuality/Airqualityindex.htm

but surprisingly !? no actual data despite having a fancy 6 station monitoring system.

But the site below may somehow have the data for Dubai, but I am not sure the data is up to date...perhaps...

Air Pollution in UAE: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map (http://aqicn.org/map/uae/)

[Dubaian]

Thanks for the second link coot.
In the FAQ it says the Abu Dhabi monitoring is not working (down for some months since summer 2014) but that the Dubai system is working.
It seems to be not quite real time - see here for the E311, formerly known as Emirates Road, which seems to update every 1 or 2 hours.


http://aqicn.org/city/uae/dubai/shk.-mohd.-bin-zayed-road/


The air quality here is consistently worse than in Abu Dhabi. And is bad. The local press have picked up on the OP reports and are taking the line that if you exclude sand and dust, we're really OK. Daft.

Just drive up the E11 and as you cross the border at Ghantoot you can see the muck - and on bad days smell it and taste it too.

[velemax]

Just Google silicosis or desert lung syndrome.