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To mark International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, MMC for Environment & Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) Cllr. Michael Sun on Thursday re-launched the Davidsonville Air Quality Monitoring Station in Davidsonville, Roodepoort.

“The Davidsonville air quality station has been offline for more than three years following unabated vandalism and theft,” Cllr. Sun said.

“But as part of Johannesburg’s Golden Repair I am delighted to announce the re-commissioning of the station with future plans to upgrade it further.”

The City operates eight air quality monitoring stations across all regions that record and report the state of air quality within the Metro. This information is then made available for public consumption on the South African Air Quality Information System website and app. 

As Johannesburg is entrusted with the responsibility of managing air quality in the City through the implementation of bylaws and awareness programmes directed at both residents and businesses, information provided by these stations is critical.

The data assists the City to make informed decisions to better manage air pollution and develop policies that recognises the importance of conserving natural resources.

Some of the interventions that the city has put in place include the Air Pollution Control bylaws and Vehicle Emissions strategy, and the Community Dust monitoring campaign. The city also uses low-cost sensors to measure air pollution in communities around Johannesburg.

“Clean air is critical maintaining the health and livelihoods of all Joburg’s people. Budget has been set aside in the current and next financial year to procure additional equipment with the objective of eventually converting the Davidsonville station into a fully-fledged monitoring station that tracks all the priority pollutants,” Cllr. Sun said.

“We plead with the community to help us protect this important asset and we urge you to play your role and help to protect it. Our stations have been vandalised in the past and the Delta Park station is still derelict due to vandalism. Please let’s report vandalism to law enforcement authorities and work together in improving air quality in the city of gold.”

Dedicated every year on 07 September, International Day of Clean Air for Blue skies serves to prioritise the need for healthy air for all while keeping conversations broad enough to encompass other critical issues such as climate change. 

This year, the day is celebrated under the theme “The Air We Share” and focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution highlighting the need for collective accountability and collective action. 

 “The City recently adopted the Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) that aims to ensure that we achieve clean air for all through the implementation of coordinated actions that will result in the reduction of emissions,” Ms Lebo Molefe, the designated Air Quality Officer in the City added.

“The objectives of the Air Quality Management Plan will only be achieved through compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, including compliance with the City’s Air Pollution Control By-laws, which were gazette by council in 2021.”.

The event was followed by the A Re Sebetseng clean-up campaign during which City entities, residents and local stakeholders rolled up their sleeves and cleaned the streets and pavements of Davidsonville. The campaign was also used to educate the community on the linkage between waste and air pollution.

Issued by MMC: Environment and Infrastructure Services Department Michael Sun