Accra, Sept. 12, GNA- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on uesday announced that the air quality along some major roads and commercial areas have high levels of particulate matter that was likely to affect human health.

It said air quality monitoring in Accra over the past year has revealed that vehicular exhaust emissions, open burning of waste and other materials, emissions from residential cooking, commercial and industrial activities have all contributed to the high particulate concentration in the air, affecting the health of a number of people.

Mr. Jonathan Allotey, Executive Director, EPA who made the disclosure said the crucial issue for the Agency now was to combat the deteriorating air quality by eliciting the support of all stakeholders to build consensus on the development of enforceable air quality standards and regulations. He was speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop on "Public Participation and Air Quality Standards Development", which opened in Accra for about 50 participants drawn from the Ministries, Department and Agencies, Industries, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and the Media among others.

Mr Allotey expressed the hope that the participation of the stakeholders at an early stage would ensure transparency and ensure their cooperation in the development and enforcement of the set standards.
He said the overall air quality in Accra analysed by the EPA, in collaboration with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) revealed that Accra's ambient air quality was within the permissible standards set by USEPA and the World Health Organisation, making the EPA standards stricter than standards set by the two organisations. The USAID, UNEP and USEPA in July 2004 selected Accra as one of the two cities in Africa to benefit from an Air Quality Monitoring Capacity Building Project.
The analyses carried out between March and September, last year at some designated sites, including Dansoman and Asylum Down, representing residential sites, Odorkor, representing a commercial site, South Industrial Area, representing the industrial site and two road sides consisting of Kaneshie First Light and Shangrila would not be taken as the final result of Accra's air quality since the analyses were done during the rainy season.
Mr Allotey said the vision of the EPA based on its mandate, was to co-manage, protect and enhance the country's environment for sustainable development.
He said guidelines developed for noise, effluent discharges and ambient air quality in 2004 by the EPA for regulating the environmental performance of companies, institutions and other undertakings was being targeted for development into enforceable standards. "One of the key programmes for the EPA now is to transform the EPA ambient and point source air quality guidelines into enforceable standards," he said.
Mrs Esi Nana Nerquaye-Tetteh, Air Quality Control Expert of the EPA, said the major sources of air pollution found in Accra during the period under review included road dust, emissions from vehicles, industrial processes and open burning.
She said in the case of the air quality for the residential areas, the average recording were below the EPA standard which is stricter than the USEPA and WHO standards. The average for the commercial site was bad, according to the EPA standard yet within the permissible level of WHO standards. 12 Sept. 06