Air pollution rose by 35 per cent and sound by 42 per cent during Sunday night's rabid celebrations of the English New Year 2024, said a study on Monday.
In just one hour in the run-up to 2024, the intensity of air pollution increased by 64 micrograms (35 per cent) compared to 11-12 pm, which is considered very unhealthy in terms of healthy air quality index.
The Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) has been monitoring the intensity of air and noise pollution during the English New Year celebrations for the past seven years since 2017.
The CAPS research team is led by Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder.
Firecrackers or similar noise-making materials are usually made of chemicals that can cause a variety of respiratory problems, including asthma, bronchitis and lung cancer.
The study found that fireworks and crackers were set off from 11:30 pm to 5:00 am.
In the first hour of 2024, according to the CAPS study, the noise pollution rate increased by 42 per cent than the previous day's (December 30).
Most of the time the noise level was between 80 decibels and 90 decibels, it disclosed.
Noise of over 70 decibels can cause deafness in animals and birds, including humans.
It also increases the risk of miscarriage, infant mortality and heart disease in the elderly.
The loud noise of the celebrations has resulted in birds flying around and crashing into trees or building walls, causing injuries and even death, according to the CAPS.
Analysing the data for the last seven years from 2017 to 2024, it was seen that the air quality index increased from a minimum of 6.0 per cent to a maximum of 66 per cent from December 31 to January 01.
At the same time, Dhaka's air quality index or AQI has been very unhealthy (201 to 300) and extremely unhealthy (301 to 500) stayed in the state.
On New Year's Day in 2023, air pollution in the next one hour increased by 91 micrograms (36 per cent) compared to 11-12 pm on the same day.
Between December 30 at 11:00 pm and December 31 at 1:00 am, the average sound level in Dhaka North and South City Corporation areas ranges from 48 to 70 decibels.
But the noise level on December 31 at 12:00 am immediately went from an average minimum of 85 decibels to an average maximum of 110 decibels or more.
In the last seven years, from 31 December 11:00 pm to 1:00 am (January 01), the noise level exceeds 70 decibels on average 90 per cent of the time, which is very harmful to human health.
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