New year celebration: Sound, air pollution up over 30% in first hour
Emergency hotline 999 received nearly 1,000 noise complaints, including over 230 from the capital alone
Arbitrary fireworks and noisy celebrations organised by individuals caused massive environmental pollution in the first hours of 2024 across the country, but centrally planned events instead of restrictions can alleviate the crisis seen in every new year, said a study.
The Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) found sound and air pollution surged 42% and 35% respectively in the first hour of 2024 compared with the previous hour.
The rise in pollution levels caused sufferings for people as the emergency hotline 999 received nearly 1,000 noise complaints, including over 230 from the capital alone.
CAPS Chairman Professor Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder said authorities should not contain New Year celebrations by restricting movements in public places like lakes and parks. To discourage unregulated individual shows, authorities should instead arrange centrally-planned light shows and water shows.
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The ever-worsening nature of the pollution crisis during new year celebrations throughout the years shows that the issue cannot be resolved through restrictions alone, Kamruzzaman added.
Furthermore, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police announce restrictions on fireworks and loud music much later than is needed. Businesspeople import necessary products for celebrations much earlier, and thus the restrictions should be imposed ahead of time.
Due to the poor policy framework, noise pollution every year past 31 December midnight breaches the maximum authorised limit of 70 decibel for industrial areas, whereas the maximum limit for a mixed city like Dhaka is 50dB.
The limits have been fixed under the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2006. Over the last seven years, the year's final midnight-dawn period saw noise levels breaching the 70dB limit 90% of the times.
Air pollution also surges in the first hour of a New Year.
The fireworks and firecrackers emit untenable levels of air particulate matter 2.5 and particulate matter 10 as well as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide, among others, contributing towards many breathing and lung diseases.
In the first hour of 2024, particulate matter 2.5 surged 35% to 64 micrograms/cubic meter whereas the accepted amount for an hour is 35 micrograms/cubic meter.
Since 2017, Dhaka city's Air Quality Index (AQI) on 31 December and 1 January has averaged between 200 and 500 sharply above the maximum good air rate of 50.
The air quality was determined very unhealthy and hazardous – the worst two AQI standards – on the two days over the years.
Noise pollution also causes many health hazards like miscarriage for pregnant mothers, cardiac arrests for the elderly and deaths of newborns.
It also deafens many animals, and has been found to kill many birds as they hit hard surfaces while frantically trying to flee sudden explosions.
