Air pollution warning issued for sensitive groups on Tuesday

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) Continental cold air masses are set to carry overseas pollutants that will bring air quality in Taiwan to an orange alert level, with sensitive groups advised to avoid outdoor activities, according to the Ministry of Environment (MOENV).

Under an orange AQI alert, the ministry advises children, older adults and people with heart or respiratory conditions to limit outdoor activity, reduce physical exertion or wear masks when outside.

Healthy individuals who experience irritation or coughing should also cut back on outdoor activities, while students are advised to avoid prolonged or intense exercise.

The MOENV said in a news release Tuesday that a haze was observed across parts of eastern China from Shandong to Shanghai on Monday. As the continental cold air masses move south, the pollutants they bring will affect Taiwan's air quality, pushing air quality to mostly moderate or orange alert levels.

Early morning radiational cooling is likely to allow pollutants to accumulate in southern Taiwan, while additional inflows of overseas pollution later in the day are expected to keep air quality at orange alert levels, the ministry said.

The MOENV said air quality in central and northern Taiwan is expected to remain poor until Wednesday afternoon before improving, while orange alerts in southern Taiwan could persist through Saturday.

Conditions in southern Taiwan are forecast to improve on Sunday as a northeast monsoon strengthens and overseas pollution subsides, the ministry said.

Hourly concentrations of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in the Shanghai and Shandong regions - which lie upwind of Taiwan under northeasterly monsoon conditions and are considered key indicators of transboundary pollution - ranged from about 40 to 90 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) on Monday and continued to rise, the ministry said.

Hourly concentrations of inhalable particles, or PM10, ranged from roughly 70 to 110 μg/m3 in the Shanghai and Shandong regions on Monday, said the MOENV.

In northern Taiwan, PM2.5 hourly concentrations could reach 25 to 40 μg/m3 on Tuesday afternoon, with PM10 hourly concentrations reaching 50-90 μg/m3, said the MOENV.

As northeasterly winds shift southward, air quality in most regions is expected to reach orange alert levels, the ministry said.

(By Chang Hsiung-Feng and Lee Chieh-Yu)

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