Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Phnom Penh Ranks 2nd in Global Pollution, Govt Plays Down Hazard

The Phnom Penh skyline covered in smog on Jan. 23, 2025. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)
The Phnom Penh skyline covered in smog on Jan. 23, 2025. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)

Phnom Penh was the world’s second most polluted city Friday morning, behind only Dhaka, Bangladesh, according to Swiss air quality firm IQAir.

Despite a week of high particulate levels choking the capital’s skyline and mounting concerns, officials insists Phnom Penh’s air pollution has yet to reach hazardous thresholds.

Early Jan. 24, the city’s air quality hit alarming levels, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 191 and fine particle concentrations at 125 micrograms per cubic meter – both classified as “unhealthy.” 

The Clean Air Cambodia Project also reported high levels of PM2.5, tiny particles that can harm lungs and enter the bloodstream, ranging from 70 to 105 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) the day before.

Similarly, the Environment Ministry reported that AQI levels in Phnom Penh and other provinces stayed high from late Thursday to early Friday, with the capital seeing concentrations around 109 µg/m³.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology announced that the country would experience “foggy conditions” from Jan. 23 to 31. 

While the ministry warned that the conditions could disrupt transportation, it made no mention of potential health impacts.

Air pollution in Phnom Penh and across the country often comes from vehicle emissions, road debris, industrial and agricultural activities, and power generation.

In 2022, the World Health Organization reported Cambodia’s annual average PM2.5 levels were five times higher than its recommended limit. The WHO advises daily levels not exceed 15 µg/m³.

As concerns over air quality and health risks grow online, the Environment Ministry insists Phnom Penh’s air is acceptable and poses no threat. It emphasized the use of a national formula for measuring air quality, dismissing internet-based indicators and WHO recommendations.

“We have our own standards, just as Thailand and other countries have theirs. Thailand’s air quality standard is 30 µg/m³, which also depends on their economic conditions,” said Chea Nara, director of the Environment Ministry’s Air and Noise Pollution Department, adding that Cambodia’s air quality standard is 50 µg/m³.

Motorists drive along a street in Phnom Penh on Jan. 24, 2025. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)

Meanwhile, Bangkok – facing pollution levels similar to Phnom Penh’s on Friday – issued advisories urging people to limit outdoor time, wear masks, and closed more than 350 schools, citing health concerns.

The Environment Ministry’s spokesperson Khvay Atiya did not respond for comment.

Speaking to local media, Atiya confirmed the ministry has deployed mobile units to monitor air quality at 60 sites across Cambodia, including 10 in Phnom Penh. 

Pedaling the similar talking points as other officials, he asserted that “air pollution levels have not reached a stage that poses serious health risks” and urged citizens “not to panic over social media rumors.”

Following reports of worsening air quality, UNICEF Cambodia warned that children are especially vulnerable to pollution due to their developing lungs and weaker immune systems. The Children’s Climate Risk Index shows about 2.7 million children – roughly half of Cambodia’s child population – are exposed to high levels of air pollution.

Air pollution remains a major challenge in Cambodia, with serious health and economic impacts. Projections show nearly 5,000 premature deaths annually by 2030 could result from exposure to air pollution, driven by economic growth, population expansion, and an aging population.

Dr. Eng Or Chanmoly, an air quality researcher at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia, attributed the pollution spike to weather changes, including temperature and humidity, and the shift to the dry season, which allows pollutants from local and transboundary sources to stagnate. 

He noted that rising pollution levels reflect an increase in sources, such as the growing number of vehicles on Phnom Penh’s streets.

 A ferry carries passengers across the Chaktomok river in Phnom Penh under a blanket of smog on Jan. 24, 2025. (CamboJA/Pring Samrang)

(Additional reporting by Sovann Sreypich)

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