Environmental organisation from eMbalenhle monitors air quality
Locals receive air quality monitoring devices from France.
The Environmental Monitors Organisation from eMbalenhle received air quality monitoring devices to monitor environmental pollution in local towns.
According to Khehla Mahlangu, the organisation’s project manager, France donated the devices.
He said the organisation wants to address unreliable government ambient air quality monitoring stations.
“The government monitoring stations are sometimes faulty or even non-functional for the whole year, which is the reason we needed to come up with an alternative plan.
“We approached other environmental organisations that helped us with these gadgets for accurate readings.”
Mahlangu said most of the time industries pass the audit because they are the ones feeding the system with information.
“How can they become referees and the players?
“We saw the need for an independent body that will hold them accountable with the facts, not just speculation,” said Mahlangu.
According to Mahlangu, monitoring devices will be able to catch PM 10 (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less), PM 2.5 (fine particles) and C02 (carbon dioxide) in the air.
Mahlangu said some of the devices will be installed in different towns within the Govan Mbeki Municipality and will be monitored through an application (app).
