TEHRAN — Air quality in Tehran was the best in summer 2017 compared to the past two years.

With 81 days of good air quality and only 12 days of light pollution causing discomfort to sensitive groups this summer beats the past two summers in terms of air quality, Mehr quoted Tehran Air Quality Control Company spokeswoman Leila Nazari as saying. 

Criteria pollutants didn’t emitted into the atmosphere as much this year, Nazari highlighted.

She went on to say that 79 days of good air quality and 14 days of light pollution in the last summer and 73 days of good air quality, 18 days of light pollution and 2 days of heavy pollution affecting all in summer 2015 were reported.

Relatively speaking, this summer holds the record for best air quality so far, she stated. 

Never-ending air pollution in Tehran and other metropolises of Iran is nothing new. Although everyone seems to know the causes of the predicament more or less no responsible organization has ever managed to address the issue and mitigating it.

The great number of cars and motorcycles, old clunkers, heavy vehicles of poor standards which mostly operate on diesel engines on one hand and pollutant industries located on the outskirt of the capital on the other hand coupled with poor infrastructure for development of public transport are among the main causes of severe and choking air pollution of Tehran.

Tehraners who may experience better air quality during spring and summer face their worst nightmare during cold, dry, and rainless days of autumn and winter. 

Temperature inversion when air pollutants such as smog being trapped close to the ground and form a brownish haze that can cause respiratory problems is now pretty normal during cold seasons in Tehran and the only short term remedial measure the officials have come up with so far is shutting down schools.
 
With new city council winning the control of the capital and the new Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi taking office some hope that sensible policies regarding air pollution shake things up. 

MQ/MG