Hanoi orders urgent crackdown on toxic air as smog shrouds city

[HANOI] Toxic smog has returned to Vietnam’s capital, blanketing the city and prompting authorities to urge residents with respiratory conditions to stay indoors while setting out urgent measures to tackle air pollution.

Hanoi authorities plan to use remote monitoring systems, including security cameras and AI-integrated traffic cameras, to track and clamp down on polluting or expired vehicles, and the illegal burning of garbage, straw and agricultural by-products, according to a statement on the local government website.

Monitoring data shows Hanoi has hit the red “unhealthy” level on the IQAir Index for nine straight days. The capital has consistently ranked among the world’s ten most polluted cities in recent days and the forecast is for conditions to deteriorate further.

The capital’s air pollution spikes each winter due to a mix of traffic emissions, industrial and construction dust, and smoke from agricultural burning in surrounding provinces. Seasonal weather patterns trap these pollutants over the city, creating thick smog and dangerously high PM2.5 levels that pose serious health risks to residents.

All building contractors will need to implement strict dust-control measures, plant more trees, build dust-monitoring systems at all large projects over 10,000 square metres. Construction projects that do not meet the requirements will be suspended, according to the statement.

Hanoi’s health department has also been urged to advise residents, particularly the elderly, children and at-risk individuals, to limit outdoor activities and wear masks during high air pollution periods, the statement said. It is also preparing for a possible surge in respiratory cases.

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Schools have been told to limit outdoor activities for students when the air quality is at the “poor” level or higher. When it hits the severe pollution level of around 301, schools may suspend classes or alter schedules.

Vietnam has already approved a plan to tackle air pollution in its major cities during the 2026-to-2030 period, including phasing out gas-powered motorbikes from Hanoi central districts by July 2026. The government aims for at least 80 per cent of days in Hanoi to have the air quality index at good or moderate levels by 2030.

Air pollution causes at least 70,000 deaths each year in Vietnam, shortening the average lifespan by 1.4 years, according to the United Nations. BLOOMBERG