Air pollution in Nairobi

The air quality in Nairobi is considered moderately unsafe with the
exposure levels exceeding the World Health Organisation annual air quality
targets.

According to an hourly air quality forecast by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, most pollution in the city comes from combustion of certain materials, movement of people and goods, factory fumes and emissions from motor vehicles.

PM2.5 is the most dominant pollutant type in Nairobi.

The pollutant is considered the most harmful to human health. Other pollutants in Nairobi include black carbon, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur oxide, microplastics and dangerous metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium.

Introduction of fines for factories and motor vehicles that emit dangerous fumes and improving the transport system to include greener forms of transportation such as bicycles are some of the measures that can improve air quality in Nairobi.