Petaling Jaya Is Now More Polluted Than KL, With AQI Hitting 230
Kuala Lumpur has also seen its air quality deteriorate.
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Petaling Jaya has overtaken Kuala Lumpur as the most polluted city in the world, with its air quality reaching an AQI of 230 on Thursday, 8 October
The reading places PJ firmly in the "Very Unhealthy" category, above Kuala Lumpur's current AQI of 218.
According to IQAir's live data, Petaling Jaya's AQI of 230 is being driven primarily by PM2.5, with concentrations reaching 155.2 micrograms per cubic metre.
That concentration is about 31 times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual guideline for PM2.5.
Fine particulate matter such as PM2.5 is small enough to penetrate deep into the respiratory system, making high concentrations a particular concern during periods of severe haze.
Some PJ-area neighbourhoods are even worse
The city-wide figure also masks significant differences between individual locations.
IQAir's station-level readings show several neighbourhoods around Petaling Jaya and the wider Klang Valley recording AQIs above 230:
- Mont Kiara — 236
- Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) — 234
- Kota Damansara — 230
Other locations are recording lower, but still unhealthy, readings.
Taman Jaya recorded an AQI of 190, while the main Petaling Jaya station recorded 165.
The variation shows how pollution levels can differ considerably between nearby areas depending on local conditions and the movement and concentration of particulate matter.
The most polluted locations near Petaling Jaya.
Image via IQAirMeanwhile, Kuala Lumpur has also seen its air quality deteriorate
The Malaysian capital is currently recording an AQI of 218, placing it in the same "Very Unhealthy" category as PJ and earning the city the unenviable title of the world's most polluted city.
The latest figures mean residents across the Klang Valley are dealing with significantly degraded air quality, rather than the problem being confined to a single city.
The deterioration comes amid a wider haze episode affecting parts of Malaysia and neighbouring countries, with transboundary haze from fires and agricultural burning across Indonesia among the possible contributors, alongside local pollution and weather conditions.
What should PJ residents do?
With air quality in the "Very Unhealthy" range, residents should consider limiting prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity while the readings remain elevated.
Keeping windows and doors closed can reduce the amount of outdoor pollution entering homes, while HEPA air purifiers can help remove fine particles indoors.
Anyone who needs to spend extended periods outdoors can consider using a well-fitting N95 or equivalent respirator for protection against fine particulate matter.
A view of the PJ area covered in haze.
Image via Sadho Ram/SAYS