Many Are Still Unaware of PM2.5 in Air Pollution Indicators

Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5 air pollution levels in several Indonesian cities have recently been classified as poor and far from the ideal standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the WHO, the ideal air quality standard is a PM2.5 concentration of between 0 and 5 micrograms per cubic meter. However, many Indonesian citizens are still unaware of the definition of PM2.5.

This phenomenon was recorded in a survey by the Kurious-Katadata Insight Center (KIC), which showed that the majority, or 53.3%, of respondents were unaware of PM2.5.

Meanwhile, 41% of respondents were aware of it. The remaining 5.7% did not know or did not answer.

Citing IQAir, PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (PM) in the air, such as dust, soot, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets.

These PM2.5 particles are extremely small, with a diameter of approximately 2.5 micrometers, and are only visible through an electron microscope. Because of their tiny size, these particles can remain suspended in the air for extended periods and can be inhaled by humans.

In the long term, inhaling PM2.5 can trigger various health problems such as asthma, heart disease, chronic lung disease, and reduced lung function in children.

This Kurious-KIC survey on respondents' knowledge of PM2.5 involved 512 respondents from various regions in Indonesia, with 54.6% male and 45.4% female respondents.

The majority of respondents were from Java outside Jakarta (62.5%), followed by Sumatra (14.6%) and DKI Jakarta (14.2%). The proportion of respondents from Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali-Nusa Tenggara, and Maluku-Papua ranged from 0.2% to 3.3%.

Most respondents were aged between 25-34 years (34.8%), followed by the 35-44 year (29.9%) and 45-54 year (18.4%) age groups.

Data was collected on August 21-22, 2023, using computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI), with a margin of error of approximately 4.31% and a 95% confidence level.

(Read also: Majority of Indonesian Citizens Access Air Quality Information from Social Media)