Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D.Sumiyabazar, gave information about the comprehensive study of the air pollution reduction policy of Ulaanbaatar city, solutions and measures to reduce pollution in the short and long term. The scientists and researchers of the Policy Research and Analysis Center under the Governor of the Capital city, in cooperation with 20 academic institutes, conducted the research on the situation of air and environment pollution and the measures to be taken in the future.

Air pollution in Ulaanbaatar is caused by thermal power plants, cars, ger areas and other sources. Specifically, thermal power plants account for 44.2 percent, ger areas for 31 percent, cars for 16.1 percent, and other sources for 8.7 percent. If thermal power plants are excluded from this and the rest is 100 percent, 55.6 percent of air pollution is from ger areas, 28.9 percent from cars, and 15.5 percent from other sources. Air pollutants include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Most of them, 52.3 percent of particulate matter, 63.2 percent of nitrogen dioxide, 64.1 percent of carbon monoxide, and 71.7 percent of sulfur dioxide are emitted by ger areas. Air pollution accounts for 53 percent of respiratory diseases, 40 percent of lung cancer, and 24 percent of children's respiratory diseases.

Window filters installed in 64 schools and 107 kindergartens

Almost 845,000 people live in the most polluted area. This is 53 percent of the total population of the capital. The National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring estimated that the most polluted areas of Ulaanbaatar city are around Bayankhoshuu, Doloon Buudal and Bayanburd. There are 72 general education schools, 52 kindergartens, and 14 hospitals in these areas. According to research, indoor pollution is directly related to outdoor pollution. Therefore, it is beneficial for health to use window filters, double doors and air purifiers to protect against outdoor pollution.

Since taking urgent measures on above mentioned schools, kindergartens and hospitals is necessary, Investment Department of the Capital city has installed window filters in 64 schools and 107 kindergartens. In the future, it is necessary to install filters in 423 schools, kindergartens and hospitals.

Increasing the average speed of cars to reduce air pollution

74.2 percent of the cars in Ulaanbaatar are more than 10 years old. When a car drives at a speed of 0-5 km/h, the amount of toxic substances emitted from it is 2-3 times higher than normal. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to reduce traffic congestion, as the amount of substances emitted by cars is constantly increasing. Moreover, there is a lot of noise pollution caused by roads. The WHO has set the tolerance level as 60 db, while the average noise level in Ulaanbaatar is 75.1 db. A 26 percent increase in the average speed of cars can reduce air pollution emitted by vehicles by 17.8 percent.

Exposure to air pollution varies depending on the roadside environment. For example,

• When the sidewalk is 4 meters away from the road, the pollution level is tolerable.
• When the sidewalk is between the road and the wall, the pollution level is 3 times the tolerance.
• When the sidewalk with grass and bushes is 5 meters away from the road, the pollution level is tolerable.

Therefore, in order to protect the health of the public and create environment improvement and healthy and safe living conditions, fences on side are being removed.

Citizens walking less than 150 meters from the area with particulate pollution are exposed to all kinds of particulate pollution, which negatively affects the reproductive system, respiratory system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. Green areas reduce noise by 10-24% and air pollution at a distance of 2.5 meters from the road.

Air pollution can be reduced through ger areas development

In the medium term, it is necessary to establish new sub-centers and public micro-centers and intensify the re-planning of ger areas in order to solve air pollution through the development of ger areas. According to the research, new sub-centers should be established in six locations, public micro-centers should be established in 52 locations, re-planning should be done in 88 locations, and a total of 219,290 apartments should be put into operation.

In the first phase, 19,110 units of land need to be vacated for the revival of Bayankhoshuu and Selbe sub-centers. As a result, 52,963 people will be able to live in 12,983 apartments.

Mayor D.Sumiyabazar said, "Using public-private partnership, we need to re-plan ger areas, develop new sub-centers, and integrate urban and public utility services. In other words, social facilities, apartment construction, and services that meet the needs of residents must be built in accordance with the standards in the surrounding areas and sub-centers. Of course, since there is a risk of running out of heat and power sources, small-scale power sources must also be addressed.

These policy solutions that we all present are not just empty words. The works are being implemented in stages. In order to work effectively in the short term, we are making policies and decisions based on scientific researches in cooperation with professional scientists.”

In addition, it is mentioned in the research that it is possible to improve the quality and accessibility of general education schools by moving universities to sub-centers and establishing 28 lyceums following them.

There are 313,473 students in 169 overcapacity general education schools across the capital, concentrated in the city center. This is one of the major factors affecting traffic congestion. Because more than 91,000 children from areas where schools are not accessible study in these schools. Therefore, 52 more general education schools should be established in the public micro-centers. For this, 2253 units of land will be required to be vacated. By establishing 52 additional schools in the ger areas, access to education will increase and traffic congestion will be reduced.

The set of Ulaanbaatar laws is important for the development of ger areas, improvement of the legal environment, and comprehensive solutions to the problems of the capital. A working group has been established in this context.

MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF THE CAPITAL CITY