On the morning of August 5, Kyiv residents faced a serious deterioration of the environmental situation. Several districts of the capital recorded a dangerous level of atmospheric pollution, classified as "red." Local authorities and ecologists are urging city residents and guests to closely monitor the situation and take precautionary measures.
Alarming monitoring data
According to data from the Ukrainian ecological system SaveEcoBot, which tracks air quality in real-time, the concentration of harmful substances reached critical levels in several locations across the city. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was calculated using the NowCast method (US EPA), focused on the main pollutant — fine particulate matter fraction PM2.5.
Particular concern is caused by the situation in the following districts of Kyiv, where the highest pollution index was recorded in the morning:
- Sviatoshyn district;
- Obolon district;
- Solomianskyi district;
- Darnytskyi district.
It is here that the concentration of suspended particles in the air proved to be the highest, creating risks for public health.
The ozone problem on the right bank
Parallel to the data from independent ecologists, alarming signals are coming from official structures. The Department of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Adaptation of the Kyiv City State Administration (Kyiv City Council) recorded the maximum value of the overall Air Quality Index (CAQI) — 100 points.
This peak was recorded at a stationary monitoring point at 20 Shchuseva Street. The location is on the right bank of the capital. Unlike other districts where dust is the dominant problem, a critical exceedance of ozone (O3) levels is observed here.
Causes of air stagnation
The press service of the Kyiv City Council confirmed the fact of a temporary deterioration of the city's air basin. As of 8:00 AM on Wednesday, August 5, the concentration of pollutants exceeded standards.
Experts explain the situation with meteorological conditions: high humidity combined with weak wind led to pollutants not dispersing but accumulating in the lower layer of the atmosphere. This phenomenon, known as inversion or air stagnation, makes city streets less safe for breathing.
Recommendations for the population
Specialists remind that a low CAQI index value means good air quality, while high values signal danger. Under current conditions, residents are advised to minimize time spent outdoors, especially during peak hours and in the most polluted areas.
You can monitor the current air quality situation in Kyiv in real-time through the official resources of the city monitoring system and environmental service maps. It is worth noting that a deterioration of the environmental situation was also observed the day before, on August 4, when the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center linked it to the passage of an anticyclone.
