air pollution

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Data Tsintsadze pushes a wheelbarrow on the floodplain in the centre of Rustavi. Photo: Anna Edgar/OC Media.

air pollution

A forest in the city centre: rewilding Rustavi

by Anna Edgar

•9 min read

Rustavi’s reputation is anything but green, with the Soviet-built Georgian city known as a heavily polluted industrial hub. But an environmental regeneration project is hoping to change that, by bringing nature, and even otters, back to the city centre. ‘Every year I thought of leaving Rustavi, especially during the winter’, says Data Tsintsadze, 31. Born and raised in the industrial city 20 kilometres southeast of Georgia’s capital, staying there any longer seemed a bleak and uninspiring pros

A factory in Rustavi. Photo: Tamuna Chkareuli/OC Media.

air pollution

Analysis | Air pollution in Tbilisi nearly halved by COVID-19 measures

by CRRC

•3 min read

Particulate matter in Tbilisi’s air has fallen by as much as 45% following the introduction of measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, according to analysis of air quality data by CRRC Georgia. The findings reflect broader global trends which have seen dramatic decreases in air pollution levels in China, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Data from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture show a clear fall in air pollution in the Georgian capital. The plot below examines ov

air pollution

In pictures | Rustavi: The city of factories

by Tamuna Chkareuli

•4 min read

The former Soviet industrial centre of Rustavi has long been perceived as a city of factories. Spewing toxic fumes into their surroundings, the factories have led to ‘alarming’ levels of air pollution in the city — and local activists, backed by the city council, are getting fed up. In the past, Rustavi’s numerous factories played an active role in the city’s development — they financed a stadium, organised cultural events, and sponsored various youth programmes. Today, around 22 factories a