Raising concerns over air quality in Greater Kuala Lumpur

Daily threat: While people worry when the air is visibly hazy, it doesn't take this much pollution to begin affecting our health. Long-term exposure to even medium levels of pollutants raises the risk of many diseases and shortens life expectancy. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

IN Malaysia, people usually notice air pollution only when haze covers the skyline. But even before the air looks grey, we are already breathing in pollution that is slowly harming our health. 

A look at the levels of particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometres in size (PM2.5) in Greater Kuala Lumpur from 2018 to 2023 showed that unhealthy air was not just a problem during haze events; people were exposed to it on most days throughout the year.