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Air
quality in the Ilocos Region had been generally safe for its
inhabitants for the last five (5) years. Data from the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources - Environmental Management Bureau
(DENR -EMB) indicated that the region had enjoyed a fair to good air
quality from 1995-2001.
By
the standards set by the agency, in a 24-hour average, an air
quality with a total suspended particulate (TSP) concentration of
0-80 ug/ncm is considered good while 81-230 ug/ncm concentration is
considered fair. The region has recorded for the said period TSP
minimum concentration of 48.07 ug/ncm and a maximum concentration of
199.83 ug/ncm.
Among
the provinces, Pangasinan, with an average TSP concentration of
105.10 ug/ncm, had the safest air quality. The province recorded a
minimum TSP concentration of 48.56 ug/ncm and a maximum TSP
concentration of 161.63 ug/ncm.
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Air Quality
MonitoringRegion I, 1995-2001
|
| |
| Province |
Concentration(ug/ncm)
|
| |
Minimum |
Maximum |
| Region
I |
48.07 |
199.82 |
| |
|
|
| Ilocos
Norte |
41.31 |
195.33 |
| Ilocos
Sur |
39.50 |
240.66 |
| La
Union |
62.91 |
201.68 |
| Pangasinan |
48.56 |
161.63 |
| Source
of Basic Data: Department of Environment and
Natural Resources -
Environmental Management
Bureau, Regional
Office I |
|
Average TSP Concentration,
Region I by Province 1995-2001
On the other hand, Ilocos Sur, which
recorded the lowest minimum TSP concentration of 39.50 ug/ncm but
the highest maximum TSP concentration of 240.67ug/ncm, had an
average TSP concentration of 140.09 ug/ncm, the highest among the
provinces. This, however, was still within the fair air quality
description.
Aside from the good and fair air quality
indices, the following are used by the EMB to measure air quality:
231-349 ug/ncm – unhealthy for sensitive groups; 350 – 599 ug/ncm
– very unhealthy; 600 – 899 ug/ncm – acutely unhealthy; and
900 ug/ncm and above – emergency.
Sampling was done in a 24-hour
period in stations identified by the EMB.
NOTES:
1.Data
for the year 2001 as of second quarter 2001;
2.Minimum
concentration considered are those below
100 ug/ncm while maximum concentration are those
above 100 ug/ncm; 3.ug/ncm
– microgram per normal cubic meter;
4.Sampling
was conducted in 46 stations from the
four provinces of the region; 5.Data
for the provinces and region were averaged
from basic data from the sampling stations
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