UNEP Unveils New Air Monitoring Device 100 Times Cheaper than Competitors

Last Monday, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) unveiled an innovative new air monitoring device which could theoretically save countries millions of pounds whilst simultaneously affording them a comprehensive overview of the air quality across their nation.

According to reports, the device is just as capable of logging all of the necessary information that existing products monitor – but at a fraction of the cost. In fact, the new units are believed to be as much as 100 times cheaper than the current competitors on the market.

Monitoring the Nation for the Price of Just One Station

Currently, setting up one atmospheric monitoring station costs governments as much as £100,000-£125,000. The new devices, which can be both stationary and mobile, could cost as little as £1,000 each, meaning that a whole network of 100 sensors could be set up for the same amount as one station currently costs.

Depending of course on the size and population of the country in question, this investment could represent comprehensive coverage of the entire country’s air quality.

This could be invaluable for developing, third-world and low-income countries. It’s no coincidence that such nations are traditionally those with the biggest air quality problems, since they simply cannot afford the technology to address the situation. One of the key factors in reducing the price-tag of the ingenious little device is UNEP’s refusal to copyright the blueprints. Instead, they plan to publish them online so that governments and independent organisations can manufacture them themselves, thus reducing costs significantly.

“Each year, air pollution causes 7 million premature deaths around the world, with outdoor pollution responsible for more than half of that total. Tragically, these deaths are wholly preventable,” explained the executive director of UNEP, Achim Steiner. “UNEP's device can spark a data boom to help countries reduce the negative effects of air pollution, potentially saving lives that would have been lost due to air pollution-related illnesses.”

A Breath of Fresh Air for Air Monitoring

This cost-effective device is just one of a number of new innovations that is taking the globe by storm and raising the profile and increasing the ease of air monitoring. The air quality emissions (AQE) show, which took place earlier this year in April, showcased a number of new technologies devoted to measuring the cleanliness of the air we breathe.

Among others was an open-source technology initiative named Open-Air. By equipping volunteers with portable monitoring equipment, the venture aims to provide a more rounded view of our air. Meanwhile, a similar project, named iSpex-EU, is hoping to achieve the same ends by marrying open-source air monitoring technology to the iPhone. By downloading an app and ordering a (free) accessory for their Smartphone, volunteers can measure “atmospheric aerosols” in the air – something that is currently beyond existing satellite technology.