Ebtekar Reports on Potential Weeks-Long School Closures Due to Air Pollution

The head of the Environmental Protection Organization has announced the possibility of schools being closed for several weeks or even a month during periods of air pollution and atmospheric stability in the cold seasons. Masoumeh Ebtekar stated on Tuesday (September 29) in an interview with Tasnim News Agency that the Environmental Protection Organization is currently examining this issue. Ebtekar mentioned, "Meetings of the Environmental Organization with other officials regarding school closures and changes in government office hours are ongoing, as we believe this could be helpful." According to this official, the Environmental Organization has proposed "two-week, three-week, and even one-month holidays" and is awaiting a final decision. Deaths caused by air pollution and its consequences in Iran have risen from 17,000 in 1990 to over 21,000 in 2013, bringing numerous other problems. According to the Tehran Air Quality Control Company, air pollution costs the Iranian economy 80 trillion tomans annually. Mohammad Hadi Iazari, Deputy Minister of Health, also stated at the "Air Pollution and the Health of 35 Million Iranians" conference held on September 15 in Tehran that air pollution "causes casualties equivalent to the passengers of 10 Boeing 747 aircraft every year." Air pollution is considered one of the most significant environmental damages in Iran, and the plans and policies of responsible institutions and officials to reduce and control this pollution in major cities have not yielded satisfactory results. The latest report from the World Bank and the Health Measurement and Evaluation Institute regarding Iran indicates that in 1990, the annual air pollution level in Iran was 28.64 micrograms per cubic meter, which increased to 31.89 in 2013. The phenomenon of increasing dust particles in Iran, along with air pollution, especially in the western and southern provinces, has repeatedly led to the closure of offices, schools, and educational centers in recent years. Responsible officials, following the increase in pollution with the gradual onset of winter in Iran, have once again discussed the possibility of school closures and changes in the working hours of government offices. Ali Asghar Rajabi, director of the National Air and Climate Change Center, was among those who recently mentioned the organization's expert review for changing the hours of agencies and offices along with reducing school days and hours. Mr. Rajabi stated that "the results of the reviews will soon be presented to the government for the cabinet to make a decision." Ahmad Hadi Heydarzadeh, director general of the Tehran Environmental Protection Agency, also commented on changing office hours and school closures, stating that "this plan must be approved by parliament representatives after government reviews and approval."