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Commuters complain of worsening air
An increasing number of commuters on Jakartaâs public transportation network are wearing masks to protect themselves from the cityâs worsening air pollution
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n increasing number of commuters on Jakarta's public transportation network are wearing masks to protect themselves from the city's worsening air pollution.
Many vendors are now selling both homemade protective masks and disposable surgical masks in traditional markets, pedestrian bridges and in the vicinity of Transjakarta bus shelters, as the trend catches on among Jakartans.
One Transjakarta passenger, Marsya Anindya, said that she wore a protective mask to protect herself from the heavily polluted air.
'Commuting in Jakarta using public transportation is really tough. You have to withstand traffic, pollution and being jostled by dozens of people. You've got to stay healthy to survive; one way I stay healthy is by wearing a protective mask,' Marsya said.
'Before, I saw many people on the streets and buses wearing masks so I decided to buy one. I think it's a good idea to wear a mask outside, especially in Jakarta,' she said.
Marsya said that the air was often smoky from motor vehicles' exhaust, and posed a danger to anyone inhaling it.
'The masks are a good investment for our health. They are also very cheap and many vendors sell them,' she said.
Disposable surgical masks are sold for Rp 1,000 (8 US cents) to Rp 2,000 each while homemade protective masks are priced from Rp 5,000 to Rp 15,000.
One Kopaja minibus passenger, Siti Komariah, said that she never forgot to bring a protective mask with her.
- More and more commuters wearing pollution masks
- Homemade masks, disposable surgical masks available from many vendors
- Environment Agency says air quality worsening in line with increase in motor vehicles in Jakarta
'The quality of the air in the city is so bad. Once I suffered from asphyxiation while I was on public transportation. Since then, I always wear a protective mask whenever I step out of the house,' she said.
Komariah, a native of Cianjur, West Java, said that the quality of air in her hometown was much better than in Jakarta.
'The air in Cianjur is fresher than in Jakarta, maybe because there are fewer motor vehicles in Cianjur,' she said.
Head of pollution control and sanitation at the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD), Andono Warih, explained that more than 70 percent of the city's air pollution came from motor
vehicles.
'More than 70 percent of the city's air pollution comes from motor vehicles' exhausts. Every year, air pollution worsens as the number of motor vehicles rises,' Andono told The Jakarta Post.
The Jakarta Traffic Police recently revealed that the number of motor vehicles in the city grew by more than 1,100 per day. Currently, there are more than 11 million motor vehicles in Greater Jakarta, 98 percent of which are private vehicles.
Andono said that although the air pollution in the city was not worrisome for now, wearing masks would not hurt.
'I think wearing masks is a very good initiative. Commuters can protect themselves from the dangers of air pollution,' he said, adding that air pollution could cause severe asthma attacks, severe headaches and brain damage.
Andono further said that industrial emissions also contributed to Jakarta's air pollution. Jakarta has several industrial complexes located in North and East Jakarta, and there are further industrial sites in areas surrounding Jakarta, such as Tangerang, Banten, and Bekasi, West Java.
