Air pollution in Turkey
In Turkey, air pollution is the most lethal of the nation's environmental issues, with almost everyone across the country exposed to more than World Health Organization guidelines.
[3] Researchers estimate that reducing air pollution to World Health Organization limits would save seven times the number of lives that were lost in traffic accidents in 2017.
There is no limit on very small airborne particles (PM2.5), which cause lung diseases and, as of 2021[update] they have not been completely inventoried and are not officially reported.
Low-quality lignite coal, burnt in cities and the oldest of the country's coal-fired power stations, is also a big part of the problem.
[7]: 50 In early 2020 air pollution in major cities fell significantly due to COVID-19 restrictions, but it started to rise again by the middle of the year.
A report from the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) estimates that in 2019, there were almost 5,000 premature deaths caused by pollution from coal-fired power stations in Turkey, and over 1.4 million work-days lost to illness.
[24][25] In China (which has a similar income per person), the limits for particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and NOx emissions are 10, 35, and 50 mg/m3, respectively.
[45] As of 2016[update] average PM2.5 concentration was 42μg/m3,[46] whereas 10 μg/m3 is the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline,[47] and is at dangerous levels in Batman, Hakkari, Siirt, Iğdır, Afyon, Gaziantep, Karaman, and Isparta.
[53] As of 2014[update] levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Istanbul were on average similar to those in London and Paris but more variable, with maxima usually exceeding 10 ppb.
The ministry also continuously monitors smokestack emissions from 305 power plants and industrial sites to ensure they do not surpass the limits,[61] but this data is not published as Turkey has not ratified the Gothenburg Protocol on air pollution.
[62] There are hourly, daily and yearly average limits for various pollutants in the area around a coal-fired power station, defined as a radius 50 times the chimney height:[63] [64] Some industrial companies reach Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 305 emissions standard.
[65] There is a pollutant release and transfer register, but as of September 2024 no years are publicly searchable because it is not yet technically complete, and it is not known what exemptions will be granted.
[70][71] Researchers estimate that reducing air pollution to World Health Organization limits would save seven times the number of lives that were lost in traffic accidents in 2017.
[75] In general it increases the risk from respiratory infections, such as COVID-19,[76] especially in highly polluted cities such as Zonguldak,[77] but this is disputed for some places and more research is needed.
[87] Some of the sulphur compounds emitted from Turkey's coal-fired power station chimneys become stratospheric sulfur aerosols, which are the type of short-lived climate forcers which reflect sunlight back into space.
[88]: 7 Significant amounts of coal were burnt over 30 years ago, so the effect of that on global warming is dominated by CO2,[88]: 7 even though there were no limits on sulphur compounds until 2004.
According to medical group Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), reducing PM 2.5 air pollution in the country would substantially increase GDP.
[96] Bitumen, also known as asphalt, is used for road surfaces and in hot weather releases secondary organic aerosols, which can damage people's health in cities.
[100][101] The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, 16 km over the border, is old and said to be insufficiently earthquake proof[102][103] and vulnerable to military attack.
Air quality action plans will be prepared at local level and legislation on pollution and emission control will be updated.
[119] In early 2020 most air pollution in major cities fell significantly due to the COVID-19 restrictions,[120] but tropospheric ozone (a leading cause of smog) increased as there were fewer particles to block the sunlight.
