KCCA installs DIGITEL enviro-sense to study pollution levels in Kampala

By Olivia Nabaggala

08^th May 2023

The central government together with Kampala Capital City Authority KCCA has installed An automatic High-Volume Aerosol Sampler, the DIGITEL enviro-sense to study and identify the types and sources of air pollutants in Kampala city.

The DIGITEL enviro-sense, has been installed in the KCCA lower gardens to draw in air from neighboring areas for analysis.

The study will be led by experts from the Uganda Lung Institute and Makerere University in collaboration with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

Dr. Ivan Kimuli, a physician from the Uganda Lung Institute, explains that the study aims to develop an accurate emissions inventory and conduct source apportionment for Kampala.

The inventory will provide data on the sources and amounts of greenhouse gases, air pollutants, and toxic substances released within the city and the source of emission.

Richard Atugonza, an air quality specialist, explains that the machine takes in air, and after 24 hours, the team extracts data to be sent to France for analysis.

Kampala ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, with pollution levels said to be up to seven times higher than the World Health Organization’s safety standards, according to the 2021 World Air Quality Report.

The executive director, Dorothy Kisaka, says the study’s findings will inform policy formulation at KCCA and other interventions to achieve their Clean Air Action Plan for the City.

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