The concentration of pollutants in the ambient air is a major state indicator regarding air pollution. Therefore, data from air quality monitoring stations established in 81 provinces under the “National Air Quality Monitoring Network” is collected and made available to the public at www.havaizleme.gov.tr.

The annual average data for PM₁₀ and SO₂ measured and verified at the 10 stations with the highest pollution in 2020 are shown in Table 9 according to the information provided by the National Air Quality Monitoring Network. Hakkari has the highest SO₂ annual average for the year 2020. Muş station is considered as the station with the highest PM₁₀ annual average in 2018.

When the last five-year period between 2016 and 2020 is analyzed, it is seen that Bursa, Iğdır, Adana and Şırnak stations entered the top 10 of the stations with the highest annual PM₁₀ averages 3 times, and that Edirne entered the top 10 of the stations with the highest annual SO₂ averages 5 times, and Trabzon station entered that 3 times.

TABLE 9– AIR QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS WITH THE HIGHEST PM₁₀ and SO₂ AVERAGES FOR 2020

* Evaluated on the basis of validated hourly average values taken from the stations, where data availability is  percent 90 and above.

MCAC: Marmara Clean Air Center

Source: Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, General Directorate of EIA, Permitting and Inspection, Depart¬ment of Laboratory, Measurement and Monitoring, 2021

Graph 27 shows the average PM₁₀ concentrations of PM₁₀ for the last five years. According to this, the national limit value and the European Union limit value were exceeded by percent 11 in 2020

GRAPH 27- AVERAGE PM₁₀ CONCENTRATIONS OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS (2014-2020)

Source: Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, General Directorate of EIA, Permitting and Inspection, Depart¬ment of Laboratory, Measurement and Monitoring, 2021

As part of “Clean Air Action Plans” to improve air quality, necessary studies have been and are being conducted to increase the efficiency of measures to control the type of fuel used for heating, improve combustion systems, sheath buildings, train firefighters, and reduce pollution caused by motor vehicles. Local governments as well as the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and provincial directorates are continuing their studies to combat air pollution.