Air Pollution and Accident Rates Declined In 2021

Throughout 2021, the concentration of air pollutants such as Particulate Matter (PM₁₀) increase 4.0 per cent (2020: -32.3%). However, Particulate Matter (PM_2.5) declined 6.7 per cent (2020: -11.1%). Meanwhile, Carbon Monoxide (CO) which was mostly produced by vehicle exhaust eased by 9.7 per cent (2020: -8.2%) as a result of the movement control that reduced the number of road users.

The restriction of industrial activities and human movement throughout the implementation of MCOs also leads to a positive impact on air quality in Malaysia. The overall Air Pollution Index (API) recorded a “good” and “moderate” air quality status for 2021. API reading shows a decrease in the level of air pollutants, especially in major cities across the country due to lower air pollutant emissions from motor vehicles smoke, industrial chimney emissions and open burning activities.

The increase in COVID-19 cases in 2021 also increased the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 test equipment as well as the opening of new health facilities, quarantine and vaccination centres gave a direct impact on the management of clinical wastes. The quantity of clinical wastes grew 43.9 per cent in 2021 to 57.4 thousand metric tonnes as compared to 39.9 thousand metric tonnes in 2020. Three states recorded the largest amount of clinical wastes namely Selangor (13.0 thousand metric tonnes), Sarawak (8.3 thousand metric tonnes) and W.P. Kuala Lumpur (5.9 thousand metric tonnes).

In addition, the rate of road accident cases in Malaysia recorded a decrease of 11.5 per cent, a drop of 47,951 cases as compared to 2020 due to MCO. The number of deaths due to road accident also decreased by 95 deaths to 4,539 deaths in 2021 as compared to 4,634 deaths in the previous year.

The full publication can be downloaded through eStatistik portal.

Released by:
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS MALAYSIA
24 November 2022

Contact person:

Baharudin Mohamad 
Public Relation Officer
Strategic Communication and International Division
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
Tel : +603-8885 7942
Fax : +603-8888 9248
Email : baharudin[at]dosm.gov.my