Cyprus Department of Labour Inspection prompted the public to avoid open areas due to the high concentration of dust recorded in Cyprus on Saturday, 11 May 2024.
‘The public, and particularly any vulnerable groups of population (children, older people, and the infirm) are urged to avoid circulating in open spaces until the observed episode has elapsed, as the small size of respirable particles in dust may have negative effects on human health’ the Department said in a press release.
The Department also pointed out that employers, based on The Safety and Health at Work (Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons at Work During Dust Episodes) Order of 2022 (P. I. 410/2022), must take appropriate measures (organizational and/or technical) after assessing any risks that their employees may face while working in open spaces, and it is recommended that workers in such spaces use appropriate means of personal protection.
Furthermore, the Department published the hourly levels registered at 08:00 local time wh
ich significantly exceeded the 50 µg/m3 levels. In Nicosia the levels were 652.3 µg/m3, in Limassol 218 µg/m3, in Larnaka 919.8 µg/m3, in Paralimni 334.5 µg/m3, in Pafos 167.6 µg/m3, in Zygi 373 µg/m3 and in Agia Marina Xyliatou 849.1 µg/m3.
It is noted that ‘dust’ refers to respirable particulate matter of a diameter smaller than 10 µm (PM10) in the air. According to the relevant legislation, a limit value not to be exceeded is set for the daily average concentrations at 50 µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).
More information on the measured pollutant concentrations and real-time updates is available online at www.airquality.gov.cy and also through the free mobile application ‘Air Quality Cyprus’.
Source: Cyprus News Agency