Particulate matter emissions, monitoring, and health effects in six North African countries

• Dietrich Schwela

Outdoor particulate matter pollution is a serious issue in the six North African countries – Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. Particulate matter is emitted from various industrial sources, transportation systems, and dust storms and sandstorms. There is a need to increase public awareness and participation and enhance capacities with regard to ground-based monitoring of fine particles, use of satellite data and the assessment of the health impacts due to exposure to these particles. Legislation needs to be upgraded and updated and better governance in terms of its implementation and enforcement is urgently needed in order to mitigate the challenge of fine particle exposure. Estimates of potential impacts of fine particulate matter pollution on health and the economy in terms of the Gross National Product will be summarized. As outdoor particulate matter pollution is one of the major sources of loss on the GNP air quality management needs to be strengthened.