KMC Bans Burning of Waste and Plastics to Curb Air Pollution

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has imposed a ban on the open burning of waste and plastic materials in an effort to reduce air pollution and protect public health.

According to the Environment Department of KMC, the prohibition comes as the practice of burning rubbish and plastics has increased with the onset of colder weather. The department warned that anyone found violating the rule will face a fine of Rs 10,000 for each offence.

Department Head Sarita Rai said the measure is intended to curb one of the major causes of deteriorating air quality during the winter months, when pollution levels in the Kathmandu Valley typically worsen.

Air pollution poses serious health risks, particularly to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, people with asthma and other respiratory conditions, those with cardiovascular diseases, and individuals with chronic illnesses.

Nepal was ranked as the world’s seventh most polluted country in the World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality firm IQAir. The country recorded an average PM2.5 concentration of 42.8 µg/m³ in 2024, up from 42.4 µg/m³ in 2023, exceeding the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual average PM2.5 guideline of 5 µg/m³ by more than eight times.  

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, impacting major organs. According to the WHO, exposure to PM2.5 increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including stroke, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Although Kathmandu ranked 193rd among the world’s most polluted cities, its average PM2.5 level surpassed WHO’s safe limit by over 10 times during five months of 2024: January, February, March, April, and December. April recorded the worst pollution level at 86.9 µg/m³, while the lowest level was 9.9 µg/m³ in August.  

Kathmandu topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities on Thursday, April 3, 2025, with an AQI of 341, according to Swiss firm IQAir. By 4:53 PM on April 5, the AQI slightly improved to 189 — but the PM2.5 concentration remained over 29 times higher than WHO's recommended safe limit.

AQI levels above 300 are considered hazardous, with any reading above 100 posing health risks—especially to vulnerable groups.

Air pollution has become the number one risk factor for death and disability in Nepal, the World Bank warned in June 2025 report.

According to the report titled Towards Clean Air in Nepal: Benefits, Pollution Sources, and Solutions, single-sector solutions are not sufficient to meet any clean air target.

The Kathmandu Valley and the Terai are Nepal’s air pollution hotspots, with no significant improvement over the past decade, added the report.

“Air pollution reduces life expectancy by 3.4 years for the average Nepali and causes approximately 26,000 premature deaths annually. In addition to health, air pollution impacts labor productivity, tourism, and the aviation sector,” reads the report, adding, the economic cost of poor air quality is equivalent to more than 6 percent of Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year.

(With inputs from RSS)