A Case Study of Air Quality in Kabul, Afghanistan

The air quality in Afghanistan is severely affected by various pollutant sources, the impacts of which often cause acute health problems, particularly among the old, young and those suffering from poor health. The impacts of chronic exposure to air pollutants are also likely to become apparent over time. The purpose of this air quality dissertation is to assist policy makers in the design and implementation of policies, and in the development of monitoring and management tools to restore air quality in Afghanistan. Since 2001, Kabul city’s population has grown from four hundred thousand to six million people. Estimates of various pollutant emissions indicate that vehicular traffic, windblown dust, brick kilns, residential heating during winter season, and domestic and commercial generators are the major sources of air pollution in Kabul. The estimated total annual emissions in Kabul are 17,363 tons of PM₁₀, 16,183 tons of NOx, 2,484 tons of SO₂, 97,068 tons of CO₂, and 650,846 tons of CO₂ .In the article “In Kabul, air pollution a bigger killer than war” that every year around 3,000 people die in Kabul city due to air pollution whereas the total mortality rate due to war across the country is 2,777 cases.