UB Citizens: Let’s get addicted to air

quality data

Christa HasenkopfNSF-International Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Colorado| National University of Mongolia

Photo Credit: Lauren Knapp

December 2011

November 2012

Photo Credit: Soyee Chiu

IWAM8 Jan 2013

What is Particulate Matter?

Ikh Nartiin Chuluu Nature Reserve Research Camp, April 2005

DustVolcanoes

Mt. St. Helens, 1980

Combustion Sources

Bacteria

Bioaerosol

Fine Human Hair

PM comes in a range of sizes

PM10 (Diameter ≤ 10μm)

PM2.5 (Diameter ≤ 2.5μm)

~ 50 μm

PM and Health Effects

Very large > PM10

Coarse PM: PM2.5 < PM ≤ PM10

Fine PM: ≤ PM2.5

WHO estimates the total number of PM-related

deaths to be approximately 3.3 million/year world-wide.

More than malaria + AIDS, combined.

UB air pollution

From 2011 WHO Outdoor Air Pollution Database and Dec 2011 WB report: Air Quality Analysis of Ulaanbaatar

UB air pollution

From 2011 WHO Outdoor Air Pollution Database and Dec 2011 WB report: Air Quality Analysis of Ulaanbaatar

According to 2011 WHO Outdoor PM10 survey,

Ulaanbaatar is 2nd most PM10-polluted city in the world.

UB air pollution

From 2011 WHO Outdoor Air Pollution Database and Dec 2011 WB report: Air Quality Analysis of Ulaanbaatar

UB air pollution

From 2011 WHO Outdoor Air Pollution Database and Dec 2011 WB report: Air Quality Analysis of Ulaanbaatar

Est. range of annual deaths in UB caused by PM (Allen et al., 2011 and World Bank 2011 ).

Human Impacts By the Numbers10-25%

$500 million

Est. annual amount (in USD) lost from UB economy due to PM - 20% of UB’s 2008 GDP (World Bank 2011).

My Research Questions:

What is UB PM made of?What are the major sources of UB PM?How does black carbon change with time?

How does UB PM affect regional climate?

PEER UB Air Pollution Team:

Dr. Dagva Shagjjamba

Ms. Gerelmaa Gunchin

Ms. Bulgansaikhan BaldorjMr. Amanjol

Ms. Delgerzul Lodoisamba

Kindergarten #69 Staff

Enkhiin SanaaFamily Hospital Staff

Prof. Lodoysamba

** However, the project I am about to describe is NOT FUNDED by NSF,

USAID, or Fulbright.

It is a public outreach initiative.

It and has been done on free time because we feel it is IMPORTANT.**

Sharing Air Quality Data (and basics) through Social Media

Public awareness MATTERS!

(1) ACCESS to timely AQ data can help the public make informed health decisions.

(2) ACCESS to the available AQ data and basics EMPOWERS UB’ers to focus more effort on air quality monitoring.

Mitigation measures are just half of the equation….

New Stoves

Ger Apts Alt. Fuels

Electric Stoves

Modifying Ignition

Long-term, successful pollution reduction is feedback cycle:

Mitigation Measures

Air quality monitoringAnd the public can influence strengthening

this cycle in UB!

Ulaanbaatar Air Qualityon Facebook

@UB_Air on twitter

UB Air Quality in Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/UBAirQuality

Have more questions? Tweet @UB_Air, check out

UBAirPollution.org, or post a question on the Facebook Page:

“УБ Aгаарын Чанарын Мэдээ/UB Air Quality Info!”

Tweet and Facebook post BREAKDOWN:Posts at 9 am, 2pm, and 7pm

Simple Infographics

Interact with the public on air pollution issues

People ask questions

We share people getting involved in air pollution activities (like UBASC)

People share information

How the public access to data shapes air quality monitoring

PM10 PM2.5

= just 0.12% of Beijing’s population.

More transparent data

How the public access to data shapes UB air quality monitoring

Within ~10 weeks of having these sites running and because of the show of public support:

- Received international and local media attention

- Received grant from OT in the past few weeks four OWN instrument

- Met with community leaders to discuss air quality

The PUBLIC has influenced this cycle!

Mitigation Measures

Air quality monitoringBut this needs to just be the beginning…

What can YOU do?

https://www.facebook.com/UBAirQuality

(1) Get informed and involved. “Like” ‘Ulaanbaatar Air Quality’ on FB and follow

@UB_Air on Twitter.

What can YOU do?(2) Invite UBASC to give a talk about this topic at

your organization.

Want to get more involved withLET US KNOW!

Christa.Hasenkopf@colorado.edu

THANKS!

https://www.facebook.com/UBAirQuality@UB_Air on Twitter

PM MASKS

What can YOU do?(3) Request better, quality, rated masks in UB

pharmacies. But wait...how??

Surgical Masks: Designed to keep the wearer from spreading germs to others and protect the wearer from splashing fluids.

Cough Spray

Mas

k W

eare

rHow do Masks work?

Typical Surgical Masks

Cough Spray

Dried Cough Spray

They are not designed to protect the wearer from germs!

Mas

k W

eare

rM

ask Wearer

Surgical Masks: Designed to keep the wearer from spreading germs to others and protect the wearer from splashing fluids.

Surgical Masks are not designed to protect the wearer from PM!

Surgical Masks vs. PM Masks

PM2.5

Mas

k W

eare

r

Mas

k W

eare

r PM2.5

It is rated by an internationally-accepted standard- Ex: “N95” rating by the USA: has been

Certified by an independent lab toRemove 95% of PM 0.3 microns and larger(so covers PM2.5 and PM10)

How do you know a PM mask works?

Does it fit well?

Vague/non-specific statements like “removes smoke and dust” etc. do not help you evaluate how effective a mask is.

The masks we’re handing out:

3M masks, ordered through Amazon.com

~1000-2000 Tugriks per mask

Recommended: Wear up to 2 weeks

What can YOU do?(3) Request better, quality, rated masks in UB

pharmacies…by explaining you want RATED masks to pharmacies. Show them the one we hand out

today as an example!

More Resources:• City AQ data: http://www.ub-air.info/ub-air/laq/average-

24h.html• Compendium of UB AQ info/resources:http://ubairpollution.org/

Article on WHY getting the public involved in AQ is important:In English: http://tedxulaanbaatar.com/#!/ub-citizens-get-addicted-to-the-data

In Mongolian: https://www.facebook.com/UBAirQuality/notes (Thanks to Enke G. and Gerelmaa G. for translating!)