Department of Health Marks World Environmental Health Day 2025: “Clean Air, Healthy People” in Focus
The Department of Health has officially joined the world in observing World Environmental Health Day on 26 September, under the global theme “Clean Air, Healthy People”. The day aims to underline the vital link between environmental conditions and public health, bringing attention to air pollution as a major and pressing threat.
Air pollution is far from a distant or abstract issue — it is one of the leading environmental risks to health. Globally, approximately 99 % of people breathe air that exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) safety guidelines, exposing them to dangerous pollutant levels. The WHO’s 2015 resolution on air quality and health explicitly recognised ambient air pollution as a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases including ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and cancer — as well as the substantial economic burden these impose.
In South Africa, the stakes are high. In 2019, air pollution was linked to around 25,800 premature deaths. Nearly the entire population lives in environments that exceed safe air quality thresholds.  Meanwhile, a 2025 report indicates that in 2023, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) caused an estimated 42,000 deaths, involving over 1,200 children under the age of five. These figures also translate into adverse birth outcomes (preterm births, underweight babies) and massive economic losses—estimated at roughly R960 billion in 2023 alone. 
⸻
Department of Health’s Response & Collaborative Campaign
This year’s campaign is an effort not only to raise awareness, but to galvanise action. The Department of Health is partnering with key stakeholders including the WHO, International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH), the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), and the National Association of Environmental Health in South Africa. Their aim: to push for stronger clean-air policies, support community-driven environmental health measures, and honour the contributions of environmental health professionals and educators.
The two-day conference, taking place at Birchwood Hotel and the O.R. Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, brings together academics, health officials, environmental experts, and policymakers. They will discuss strategies to improve air quality, reduce pollution, and translate evidence-based research into community-led policy interventions.
According to the Department, clean air is more than a lofty ideal — it is “fundamental to health.”
⸻
South Africa’s Air Quality Landscape: Challenges & Gaps
Weak Compliance & Emission Exemptions
One significant challenge lies in policy enforcement. While South Africa has Minimum Emissions Standards (MES) for regulated industries, compliance is uneven, especially in areas without adequate air monitoring. 
In 2025, the government granted limited exemptions to several Eskom coal-fired power stations from meeting strict emissions standards, citing economic pressure and energy supply needs. These exemptions, however, come with conditions such as enhanced monitoring and deploying mobile health clinics in nearby communities.  Critics argue that such exemptions risk undermining public health, especially in communities adjacent to these plants, which already suffer elevated mortality and disease burdens.
Hotspots of Pollution & Vulnerable Communities
Air pollution disproportionately harms low-income, informal settlements, and communities near industrial zones or mines. Many residents live in close proximity to coal-fired plants or heavy industries. In 2022, a landmark High Court judgment declared that poor air quality in South Africa’s Highveld Priority Area violated citizens’ constitutional rights to an environment that is not harmful to health. 
One stark example is Sasolburg, where air pollution from petrochemical operations has been linked to respiratory illnesses among children and long-term health problems among adults. Efforts to cut emissions have been hampered by delays in retrofitting and repeated exemptions. 
Gaps in Monitoring & Public Awareness
South Africa uses over 120 air-quality monitoring stations, feeding data into the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS).  However, coverage is uneven; many communities are more than 25 km from the nearest station, reducing the ability to detect pollution spikes and issue timely public health warnings.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in South Africa translates pollutant data into simple categories (Low, Moderate, High, Very High, Hazardous) to guide public behaviour, particularly for vulnerable groups. 
⸻
Pathways Forward: From Awareness to Action
Policy Strengthening & Enforcement
• Tighten exemption rules — Exemptions to emission standards must be limited, conditional, and subject to strict oversight.
• Uphold MES compliance — All regulated industries must be held accountable to Minimum Emissions Standards without undue delays or loopholes.
• Expand monitoring networks — More stations, especially in underserved and vulnerable areas, to detect pollution trends and enable quick public warnings.
• Align standards with WHO guidelines — South Africa’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) currently lie between WHO interim target levels. The updated WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2021) demand much stricter limits across pollutants (PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂, O₃, CO). 
Research, Data & Community Engagement
• Deploy low-cost sensors in communities to supplement traditional monitors.
• Commission source apportionment studies to pinpoint the biggest polluters (coal plants, transport, industrial zones).
• Empower local environmental health officers to monitor air quality, engage residents, and act on violations.
• Promote public awareness campaigns about air quality, health impacts, and behavioural changes (e.g., reducing open burning, safer commuting).
Health-Based Interventions
• Focus on vulnerable groups: children, the elderly, pregnant mothers — integrate air quality alerts into health systems.
• Use mobile clinics in high-risk zones for screening and early diagnosis of respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
• Introduce clean energy transitions in households (e.g., reducing reliance on solid fuel cooking) and in public transport.
🔴Central News Weekly Edition | Issue 115 🔴Download the Latest Print and E-Edition | Headline: Ngwathe Municipality Refuses to Back Down, Heads to Supreme Court of Appeal
Download Here:
Direct PDF File Here:
https://centralnews.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Central-News-Issue-114-1.pdf
Read all our publications on magzter:
https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues
Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content, Podcasts , Radio / Social Media Simulcast, Video Production , Live Streaming Services, Press Conferences, and Paid Interviews (Video/Audio) etc.
We guarantee exceptional exposure, reach, and engagement, with an excellent return on investment.
Advertisement:
To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za
For Business Related:
business@centralnews.co.za
Newsroom:
Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za
General Info:
info@centralnews.co.za