Ambient air quality and pollution in Georgia

Lia Dvalishvili

Journal number 2 ∘ Lia Dvalishvili ∘
Ambient air quality and pollution in Georgia

Abstract: High quality of life depends on the high quality of air. The increase in air pollutant emissions is directly related to the deterioration of air quality, resulting in high data on the loss of mortality and damage to the quality of life.

Air pollution threatens sustainable development because it simultaneously affects various social, ecological, and economic criteria.

Like the modern world, Georgia faces many environmental problems and challenges in the background of development and technological progress. Emissions are the leading cause of air pollution threats across the country.

Managing the problem requires the best environmental management skills. The policies, reforms, and sustainable initiatives implemented by international organizations and the national government are the cornerstone for the country to become better, cleaner, and greener.

Keywords:air quality, waste management, emission, circular economy.

Introduction

The 21st century can be freely called the "ecological era"- because today there are particularly relevant and acute ecological problems for humanity, manifested in almost all fields of material production and almost all regions of the planet.

The type of technogenic development currently established in the world is the reason for the emergence and exacerbation of environmental problems of different levels, nature, and scale. The process of the relationship between nature and society around the world is disharmonious and contradictory, and at the same time, in the wake of human evolution, it is constantly changing. changeable.

Ambient air quality is one of the most acute environmental and social problems in the world. During the last half-century, the protection of atmospheric air from pollution by anthropogenic activities has become relevant, because air is the most important vital resource for humans.

The best standard for measuring the level of pollutants in the air is the Air Quality Index - AQI. The legislation and format for ambient air quality varies from country to country.

Objectives related to air protection are among the national priorities of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. According to the green economic initiative of the United Nations Environmental Protection Program, the green economy is a model of economic development that aims at sustainable development and reduction of negative impact on the environment, and the use of new technologies and innovations based on sustainable development to improve the quality of life. Georgia is also involved in this process along with other countries. Sustainable development of the country is impossible by causing irreparable damage to the environment,- and finding the golden mean between the development of the country and ecology is the most difficult task.

At the modern stage of society's development, following the development of science and technology, and the deepening of ecological cataclysms, the problems of environmental protection and ecological safety are becoming more and more important. Accordingly, the most important condition for the development of all the countries of the modern world is to evaluate its impact on the world and develop a policy to respond adequately to it.

It is a simple truth that human existence requires an environment where there will be clean air, water, and a healthy climate.

Air quality was defined as one of the 12 main directions according to the framework recommendations and guidance documents developed by the United Nations Statistical Division, which reflect the main areas of environmental statistics.

Ambient air quality is one of the most acute environmental and social problems in the world. According to the World Health Organization, 9 out of every 10 people living in urban environments in the world breathe polluted air, which indicates that air pollution is a challenge for almost all countries.

High quality of life depends on high air quality. We live in a time when the sharp increase in population, along with the increase in air pollutant emissions, is directly related to the deterioration of air quality.

Fuel-burning is the biggest contributor to air pollution in the modern world. Among the leading polluters are energy facilities, the transport sector, and agriculture. 40-60% of the total amount of all kinds of toxic compounds in big cities of the world comes from road transport. Other types of anthropogenic impact on the environment include:- pollution with hazardous waste, exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiation, biological impact, and others. In addition to anthropogenic sources of atmospheric air pollution, there are also natural sources of pollution. Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, space dust, and others are worth noting here.

It should be noted that air pollution is not a new environmental problem, it has been going on for millennia,- since fire was used for cooking and heating. Atmospheric air pollution has become especially dangerous since the time of the Industrial Revolution,- because the massive use of fossil fuels and the creation of large industrial facilities have caused significant air pollution.

In general, combustion processes are one of the main polluters of atmospheric air with such harmful substances as carbon monoxide, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, solid particles, and others. These substances have a negative impact not only on human health,- but also on ecosystems and material values.

The goal of uncontrolled impact on the environment by humans is to implement actions adapted to it and corresponding to their interests for their well-being, and the result is the initiation of several dangerous and irreversible processes.

Air pollution is a much less well-known topic to the public than water pollution. Many people are not informed about the quality of the air they breathe.

Air pollution is a major and often invisible killer, responsible for one in nine deaths worldwide. Among them, lung cancer deaths - 36, strokes - 34, heart diseases – 27, and chronic lung diseases - 35 percent. ( 9)

Among the risk factors causing death, polluted air ranks fourth. Every year, 7 million people die worldwide from diseases caused by air pollution. (3)

Air pollution threatens sustainable development because it simultaneously affects various social, environmental, and economic criteria related to equitable human development, such as healthy living, food security, gender equality, climate stability, and poverty reduction.

Air quality and climate change are closely related. The sectors that contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions are also important sources of air pollution, and both problems can be addressed simultaneously with appropriate efforts.

Energy consumption, waste growth, creation of new industrial technologies, and improperly produced agriculture are accompanied by the release of various substances, including greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere, which is the main cause of global warming and changes in the global climate and climatic zones that have been formed over the years. Global warming is an ongoing process on Earth and its atmosphere, and climate change is a result of this warming. It is significant that the intensity of harmful effects caused by the "greenhouse effect" increases every year, which makes the need to solve the problem even more important. Georgia is not an exception, and the adverse consequences caused by climate change will have a painful impact on our country as well. The excessive accumulation of greenhouse gases is exacerbated by the fact that along with the rapid development of industrial processes and population growth, forests and other elements of biodiversity have been consumed at a rapid rate and in large quantities. It is very important to emphasize the global nature of the process.

In the joint fight against climate change and air pollution, one important factor must be taken into account: reducing greenhouse gas emissions can also bring significant benefits to improving air quality.

Georgia, like the modern world as a whole, faced a lot of environmental problems and challenges in the background of development and technological progress. In the last decade, climate change and air pollution have significantly changed the ecological environment in which we live.

Air quality in Georgia is largely determined by the transport sector, electricity production, construction sector, cement production, mining industry, agriculture, and municipal and agricultural waste disposal areas. It should be noted that in recent years, the amount of fuel consumed by motor transport and the energy sector has been increasing, and accordingly, the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere from these sectors is increasing. According to available data, the level of air pollution is constantly high in the largest cities of Georgia, near large industrial facilities and industrial zones. The main reason for this, in addition to the emissions of motor vehicles and large industrial facilities, is the so-called "Construction boom", during which a large amount of dust will be thrown into the air. Among the reasons, it is also worth noting the environmental pollution as a result of the extraction of mineral resources, especially heavy metals, which harms not only the local population but also the local ecosystems and can even have a trans-nutritional effect.

In Georgia, air pollution from the agricultural sector has less qualitative impact compared to other sectors.

Environmental pollution with production and other types of waste (in all aggregate states) is noteworthy. It covers both household waste and hazardous and accumulated waste management issues. Expired agricultural chemicals, and pesticides, the residues of which are left in large quantities on the territory of our country from the Soviet heritage, are especially noteworthy. Landfills often involve open burning of waste, which releases harmful pollutants into the air. Old, official landfills of municipal waste existing in the country do not meet modern requirements and are a source of emissions of polluting substances into the environment. Improper management of specific waste contributes to the increase of toxic gases in the ambient air. It is important that the so-called Issues of decontamination and control of waste and toxic compounds accumulated in storage facilities. The use of raw materials for the production of products, their consumption, and the release of unprocessed waste into the environment is a complex problem. The increase in waste is related to the increased demand for resources and the difficulty of obtaining them.

In terms of air pollution, the transport and energy sector is considered to be the leader in emissions. According to regions, Imereti is considered the leader with its manganese, coal, metallurgical, and ferroalloy industry, then Kvemo Kartli, with its copper and gold mining industry, metallurgical, chemical, and cement production.

The large volume of emissions from motor vehicles is determined not only by the number of vehicles and the intensity of traffic but also by the characteristics of the motor park. Most of the cars are more than 10 years old. Their technical malfunction increases the amount of emissions. About the emissions related to the energy sector, it should be noted that the thermal power plant has a very specific infrastructure and characteristics to generate electricity with as little impact on the environment as possible. Since thermal power plants generate electricity by burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) and releasing heat, it is important to systematically control the impact of combustion processes on air quality.

When talking about air pollution, we mainly consider ambient air, and the causes and consequences of its pollution, however, indoor air pollution has no less negative impact on human health, especially because we spend 90% of our time in buildings. There are at least sixty sources of indoor air pollution. Among these sources in our country, it is particularly noteworthy: building materials containing hazardous substances, pesticides and chemicals used to clean buildings, mosquito and insect repellants, places that create a wet, humid environment for mold growth, and others.

To improve air quality and address health and environmental threats related to air pollution, the Government of Georgia uses a monitoring system based on indicative measurement standards adopted in EU member states. Since 2013, the National Environment Agency has started to modernize the observation network by modern requirements. Since 2016, non-automatic stations have been replaced with modern automatic stations both in the capital and in the regions. A new automatic air quality monitoring network has been created in the following cities of Georgia: Tbilisi, Rustavi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Zestafon, and Akhaltsikhe, and air samples are collected quarterly in 25 municipalities of the country. Air quality monitoring stations use high-tech particle sensors for measurement. Data on air quality indicators obtained as a result of automatic connection and indicator measurements from various stationary stations are gathered in one space, on the portal - "Air.gov.ge".

It is important that, as a result of working with the European Environmental Protection Agency (EEA), it is now possible to view Georgia's atmospheric air quality data continuously on the European portal.

The best standard for measuring the level of pollutants in the air is the Air Quality Index - AQI. It is considered as a measure of outdoor air pollution. The Air Quality Interactive Platform was launched at the tenth session of the World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi in February 2020. (16)

The air quality index is an index using which updated information about the state of air quality in different areas of the country and its impact on human health is provided to the public regularly (in a short period: every day, every hour). The higher the air quality index, the lower the air quality and vice versa. The general classification of AQI is as follows: from 0 to -50 - good; from 51 to 100 - moderate; 101 to 150 for sensitive groups (children, women, people working outdoors) - unhealthy; from 151 to 200 - unhealthy; from 201 to 300 - very unhealthy; More than 300 - dangerous.

AQI is based on particulate matter (PM _2.5andPM ₁₀), ozone (O ₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO ₂), sulfur dioxide (SO ₂) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions measurement.

Solid dust particles (PM _2.5andPM ₁₀) describe fine particulate matter, typically between 2.5 and 10 micrometers (thousandths of a millimeter) in diameter. These airborne particles can be dust or other solid particles including the smallest droplets. Sources of particulate matter include construction processes, industrial facilities, diesel engines, wood stoves, open ground, coal-fired thermal power plants, and desert dust. A gray haze is an indication of a high concentration of solid particles in the air, which is easy to see.

Ozone (O ₃) is a secondary pollutant that is not directly emitted into the air. It is produced by the photochemical reaction of sunlight on other pollutants. The source of its origin is emissions arising from other activities. Ozone affects the growth and development of plants and reduces yields, forest health, and biodiversity in general. Ozone also plays an important role in climate change. It is one of the main greenhouse gases.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO ₂) will be emitted mainly as a result of burning fuel, and sulfur dioxide (SO ₂) as a result of burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, etc.). The main source of carbon monoxide (CO) is car exhaust. The so-called "acid rain" is formed from nitrogen and sulfur oxides, which is one of the important problems in terms of environmental pollution for many regions.

The air quality index in Georgia - AQI is determined by measuring the data of the six main pollutants mentioned above and reflects the state of air quality in the current period at each automatic monitoring station.

According to the World Health Organization, the air quality in Georgia is better than average.

Based on the data of 2022, the air quality index (AQI) in Georgia was moderate, namely - 61, and the concentration of PM _2.5was 3.4 times higher compared to the value provided by the recommendations of the World Health Organization. (10)

According to the report of the World Health Organization, 3741 people die in Georgia every year due to air pollution. (11)

Based on the data of 2022, Batumi was considered the cleanest city in Georgia (AQI-55), and Rustavi was considered the most polluted city (AQI-81). Based on the data of 2023, Tbilisi became the cleanest city (AQI-58), and Rustavi was considered the most polluted city (AQI-76). It is worth noting that the air quality in Rustavi has slightly improved over a year. In terms of clean air, Abastumani is particularly distinguished throughout the country, where the limit is 50% less than the norm.

In the global pollution ranking of countries in 2022, Georgia was in the 61st position among 131 countries.

Solid particles originating from natural sources play an important role in atmospheric air pollution in Georgia. In this regard, the masses of dust periodically invading from the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula, and the deserts of Central Asia are particularly noteworthy, which in many cases spread over practically the entire territory of the country, including Tbilisi, Rustavi, and other large cities, where the level of pollution from anthropogenic sources is quite high.

Emissions are the main cause of air pollution hazards, regardless of the segment in which they originate. Managing the problem requires the best environmental management skills. The policies, reforms, and sustainable initiatives implemented by international organizations and the national government are the cornerstone for the country to become better, cleaner, and greener. During the last few years, in the process of defining the national policy, the state has been actively working to plan and implement the necessary measures to solve the problem of air pollution. It should be noted that a deep reorganization of the environmental sector across the country began in 2011. Accordingly, innovations in the field of air protection originate from this period.

To improve the quality of the ambient air, the promotion of the use of electronic vehicles by the Georgian government through the national strategy, the development and modernization of public transport, the "renewal of the bus fleet and the transition to more environmentally friendly equipment", the sustainable development of the capital's recreational spaces, a whole range of activities in the field of waste management can be considered as a step forward Carrying out measures, introducing periodic technical inspections about the regulation of emissions from the transport sector, to which from January 1, 2019, all categories of motor vehicles registered in the territory of Georgia with the specified year are subject, improving the quality of fuel, to reduce the toxicity of exhaust emissions, in particular: the quality standard of automotive diesel fuel was equaled to EURO 4 And the quality standard of motor gasoline fuel is EURO 5.

One of the priorities of the Ministry of Environmental Protection is the introduction of green economy principles and the promotion of green business.

Tbilisi City Hall is particularly active in the direction of transition to a "green" economy, which has developed and implemented the "Environmental Protection Strategy" 2015-2020 and is in the process of implementing the "Green City Action Plan" 2017-2030.

The protection of atmospheric air from anthropogenic influences in the entire territory of Georgia is regulated by the Law of Georgia "On Protection of Atmospheric Air". This law was originally adopted in 1999. From this period until 2022, 22 amendments have been made to the Law "On Ambient Air Protection". Most of them are technical and reflect the institutional changes in the government of Georgia, however, important content changes were also included in the law from time to time. The recent changes are mainly an attempt to harmonize air defense legislation with EU legislation and requirements.

The Fourth National Program of Environmental Protection Actions for 2022-2026 (NEAP-4) was approved by the government decree of September 7, 2022, N 1629, which is the main strategic document of the country in the field of environment and natural resources protection, defines the long-term strategic priorities of the field and the corresponding action plan. The development of this program is conditioned by the legislation of Georgia and the international obligations undertaken by the country. According to the program, taking into account the goals of sustainable development and international commitments in the field of environmental protection, the following long-term vision was defined in the field of environmental protection: provision of a clean and safe environment for human health and the natural ecosystem, and sustainable consumption of natural resources taking into account the interests of future generations. (6)

According to the mentioned action program in the field of air protection, to solve the existing challenges, one main goal was defined: the provision of clean and safe air for human health in the entire territory of Georgia (goal 7).

Under the mentioned goal, some measures were implemented within the framework of the action program, but part of the measures remain to be implemented.

The Association Agreement signed between Georgia and the European Union is the main instrument for improving air quality and reducing the risk of related diseases. According to this agreement, the legislation of our country must be in full compliance with the provisions defined by the five directives of the European Union in the field of air quality management.

Georgia should gradually bring its legislation closer to the mandatory provisions of the European Union directives in the field of waste defined by the Georgia-EU Association Agreement within the established deadlines.

Georgia also has international obligations in the field of waste management. In particular, Georgia is a party to the Basel Convention "On the Control of Transboundary Shipments of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal".

At the current stage, work is being carried out by the 2022-2026 action plan of the national waste management strategy of Georgia (goal 9).

Caring for the improvement of air quality is the individual responsibility of every citizen along with the state. Each of us can make a significant contribution to the fight against air pollution through our actions, non-actions, or behavior changes.

In recent years, in the direction of improving atmospheric air monitoring, the government has taken several important steps in the direction of implementing both legislative and practical measures, especially the expansion of the atmospheric air monitoring network. However, there are not enough atmospheric air monitoring stations operating throughout the country today. The territory of the Czech Republic is identical to the territory of Georgia, where 200 automatic stations operate, 14 times more than in our country.

Although the sustainable development of the capital's recreational spaces contributes to the reduction of risks arising from construction and various sources of pollution specific to the city, however, recreational spaces are equally needed for the rest of the cities of Georgia, regardless of the level of economic development, because every citizen of the country needs to protect themselves from polluting and poisonous substances in the same way. According to specialists, 15 square meters or more of greening should be provided per inhabitant.

The World Health Organization, based on the statistical data of each country taken separately, among the measures considered for clean air quality, gives special importance to the stock of forest resources in the country because it ensures the maintenance of air quality at a high level.

According to the available data, the State Forest Fund occupies 40% of the country's territory with its unusual location. 97% of it is concentrated on the small and large ridges of the Caucasus, and the rest on the plains of Eastern Georgia and Kolkheti.

At the current stage, against the background of climatic changes, the situation in the country is unfavorable in terms of forest resource maintenance. Deterioration of the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the forest, and improper management of the forest has become a habit. Many regions are on the verge of ecological disaster.

The cause of severe damage to the forest ecosystem across the country is its illegal and uncontrolled extraction as a result of human's wrong economic activity. However, due to the current situation, it is very difficult to radically refuse the use of forest in various directions, because most of the family farms use it for heating and cooking.

The legal basis of forest management is created by the law "Forest Code", which is based on internationally recognized principles and modern approaches to sustainable forest management. Forest protection includes an extensive system of measures. The main goal of forest care is to maintain and improve its ecological balance to air quality.

Georgia undertook the obligation to introduce sustainable forest management approaches through the Georgia-EU Association Agreement, according to which it is necessary to protect the forest cover and take measures to prevent illegal logging and trade related to it.

As a member of the international community, Georgia is committed to implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which, among other things, include sustainable forest management, increasing forest cover, and restoring degraded forests by 2030 (Goal 15).

Atmospheric pollution has no borders. To improve the existing conditions, it is not enough for our country to take care of an independent, stable ecological situation. The involvement of all states is necessary here because the global character of nature used in solving ecological problems requires joint action by states. During the last decade, in many European countries, extensive greening has been carried out, research centers are being created, and scientific and technical programs are being prepared, which are aimed at supporting innovative ecological technologies, ensuring a sustainable environment. Some European countries are trying to become zero-emission industrial countries by 2030. Our country should share the experience of those countries that entrust their work and efforts to ensure sustainable development in the country.

The problem of air pollution has not been completely solved in any country, but in many European countries, the USA, Canada, and Japan, the implementation of strict policies, regulations, and regular monitoring systems have significantly reduced emissions and concentrations of pollutants in the air. In many countries, air quality has gone hand in hand with economic development and wealth growth, meaning that efforts to reduce air pollution have not hindered a country's economic growth.

Conclusions and recommendations

At the modern stage, the problem of air pollution remains one of the leading environmental problems worldwide. As a result of industrialization, consumption of energy resources, and population growth, atmospheric air pollution is increasing. Consequently, the results of pollution are visible. Protection of atmospheric air from pollution by anthropogenic activities is one of the most important factors determining the ecological security of any country.

Ambient air quality is one of the main challenges for our country. In Georgia, the problem of atmospheric air pollution is fixed in the largest cities of the country, as well as near large industrial facilities and industrial zones.

To improve the quality of the ambient air and minimize the emission of harmful substances into the air, we consider it necessary to:

Development of renewable, alternative energy, which will fundamentally reduce the consumption of energy resources and related emissions.

The gradual tightening of vehicle emission norms and their control.

In enterprises, the presence a self-monitoring system of dispersion in the ambient air, as well as filters (cleaning devices). In addition, the introduction of resource-saving and low-waste available technologies, to reduce as much as possible the non-targeted use of products and their behavior as waste. Searching for optimal ways of recycling waste and its reuse, which is harmoniously combined with the principle of circular economy.

Solving the waste problem by introducing policies and practices that will help prevent and reduce waste generation on the one hand, and separate waste collection, reuse, and recycling on the other hand, creating new innovative business opportunities.

To reduce air pollution, infrastructure development, mainly, implementation of a monitoring system in those cities and regions of the country where there are high risks of pollution.

Provision of environmental impact mitigation measures to minimize the spread of dust.

A different integrated approach to air protection typical for European countries will be created, which is based on taking appropriate measures against air pollution in a specific region in such a way that it does not cause an increase in air pollution in another region.

All this will be possible with the development of an innovative economy in the country and as a result of the formation and development of the "green" and "circular" economy within it.

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