Review of Air Pollution and Management Strategies in Southeast Asian Countries

Background: Southeast Asia faces severe air pollution challenges due to rapid urbanization, industrial activities, and seasonal biomass burning.Objectives: This study provided a comprehensive understanding of air pollution control strategies in the Southeast Asia region by investigating air quality standards, ambient air quality levels, monitoring capabilities, and air pollution policies across Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states.Methods: Ambient air quality standards and information about monitoring stations were collected from government websites and governmental reports.Air pollution data, specifically PM2.5 concentrations, were collected from an open data source named IQAir.com.Air pollution policies were investigated via Google search and the most recently revised policies were incorporated into the findings of this study. Results:The study found considerable disparities in monitoring networks among ASEAN member states, with national standards often less stringent than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.Open data sources revealed that PM2.5 levels in ASEAN member states consistently exceeded WHO guidelines, particularly in the dry season with widespread biomass burning.The policy review revealed that each ASEAN member state presented distinct policies tailored to its air pollution sources and air quality management strategies.These findings underscore the need for both national efforts and cross-border collaboration to effectively address the severe air pollution in the region. Conclusions:This study could serve as a foundational resource for a deeper understanding of air pollution issues in ASEAN member states and for exploring more effective air pollution management strategies.