Malaysia’s Air Quality Improves After MCO

It turns out that Malaysians staying indoors during the Movement Control Order (MCO) is good thing for the environment as the country’s air quality has improved.

The government said the order has led to a reduction in emissions from vehicle exhausts, industrial chimneys and open burning with greenhouse gas levels dropping significantly.

The monitoring were conducted at stations in Batu Muda and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur as well as Putrajaya.

It’s reported that all three areas recorded a drop of up to 68% in nitrogen dixoide (NO2); up to 34% for sulphur dioxide SO2; up to 15% for carbon monoxide (CO); and between 6 to 14% for fine particles of 2.5 microns (PM2.5).

Studies also showed similar trends in Shah Alam, Ipoh, Penang, Kuantan, Seremban, Melaka, Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu within the same period.

It’s not only Malaysia which is experiencing improvements in air quality as New Zealand also reported the same phenomenon after imposing a four-week lockdown to fight against the coronavirus.

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