The results of monitoring ambient air quality in Jordan for the year 2020, revealed that the air quality in the Kingdom is good most days of the year, based on the Jordanian technical rule for ambient air quality.

Jordan has taken several steps to achieve good air quality through the Ministry of Environment’s adoption of an integrated air quality monitoring system.

The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Muhammad Khashasnah, told Jordan News Agency (Petra), that the ministry continues to monitor the quality of the surrounding air based on Environmental Protection Law No. 6 of 2017 and Air Protection System No. 28 of 2005, which includes the obligation to monitor various environmental elements, including air. In order to protect the environment and public health, so that the quality of the air inhaled by citizens is good and within the limits stipulated in the Jordanian technical rule No. 1140/2006 related to the quality of ambient air.

Khashashna indicated that based on the technical base, the Ministry of Environment, through the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Directorate, is carrying out a number of projects related to monitoring air pollutants from various sources continuously and around the clock using modern technology and taking the necessary measures to reduce these emissions with the concerned directorates in the ministry through licensing processes. And environmental inspection and control in cooperation with ministries and other concerned parties, scientific research centers and accredited laboratories in the Kingdom.

For his part, the Director of the Monitoring Directorate, Engineer Ali Al-Mashni, said that the ministry seeks to maintain the continuity of environmental monitoring and air quality monitoring, through the operation of the national network for monitoring ambient air quality, which consists of 26 fixed monitoring stations distributed within five monitoring programs in seven governorates (the capital, Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Mafraq, Balqa, Karak and Aqaba) and the direct electronic connection of the ambient air quality monitoring station in the city of Aqaba since the beginning of 2020, in cooperation with the Aqaba Special Economic Authority.

He pointed out that the process of monitoring and controlling ambient air quality aims to determine the levels of concentrations of inhaled fine particles suspended in the surrounding air and gaseous pollutants, namely nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone, and compare them with the limits stipulated in the Jordanian technical rule, and to assess the change in ambient air quality over a period of time. Years of monitoring in the monitored areas, comparing the quality of ambient air in different regions of Jordan, and presenting findings and recommendations to decision makers to help them take the necessary decisions and actions that would improve air quality in the Kingdom, provide a better life and support the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Al-Mashni indicated that the results of monitoring ambient air quality for the year 2020 proved that the quality of ambient air in the Kingdom is good most days of the year, based on the Jordanian technical rule for ambient air quality.

He continued, during the Corona Virus pandemic, the Ministry continued to monitor the quality of the surrounding air. During the period of the comprehensive ban, a detailed study was prepared on the rates of decrease in pollutants in the surrounding air in Amman, Irbid and Zarqa as a result of the government measures taken, and the data was compared with the same period in 2019 and also with a month period. Before the ban, and despite the negative effects on social life and the Jordanian economy due to the suspension of industrial, commercial, service and human activities, there were some positive effects on the environment, especially on the ambient air quality, which improved in most cities and governorates of the Kingdom based on the monitoring results.

The study showed that the average decrease in the daily rates of PM10 concentrations in Amman is 38 percent, in Irbid 15 percent, and in Zarqa 30 percent, and the average decrease in all monitoring stations in the three governorates is 28 percent.

According to Al-Mashni, the study showed that the average decrease in the daily rates of NO2 concentrations monitored by ambient air quality monitoring stations in Amman was 50 percent, Irbid 71 percent, and Zarqa city 56 percent, and the average drop in all monitoring stations in the three governorates 59 percent.

The study showed that the average rate of decrease in the daily rates of SO2 concentrations monitored by ambient air quality monitoring stations in Amman was 18 percent, in Irbid 47 percent, and in Zarqa city 44 percent, and the average drop in all monitoring stations in the three governorates was 37 percent. The study showed that the average drop in the daily rates of ground ozone gas O3 concentrations monitored by the two ambient air quality monitoring stations in Amman was 24 percent, and in Irbid 21 percent, and the average drop in Amman and Irbid was 22 percent.

He added, in 2020, the ministry established six new fixed monitoring stations in partnership with the private sector (Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and Attarat Oil Shale Company) to monitor ambient air quality in areas where there are no monitoring stations. .

The Ministry provided the World Health Organization with the results of monitoring of the concentrations of suspended fine particles and nitrogen dioxide, according to its request, to use this data in the international reports issued by this organization.

Al-Mashni pointed out that most foreign tourists are interested in the degree of air purity before they visit any country, and they track, through the global and national monitoring network, the degree of air purity in Jordan. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment has provided information units for ambient air quality monitoring programs, and the Ministry has established a direct electronic link with the monitoring networks. International http://aqicn.org and has established a website available to all citizens, researchers and tourists https://www.jordanenv.com/ that broadcasts the results of ambient air quality indicators on the Internet directly. Information and data on ambient air quality are made available to everyone on the ministry’s official website http://moenv.gov.jo, and there is a service to request information on monitoring and evaluation results in the ministry available to everyone to request any additional information.

Petra