PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment has rejected recent pollution reports based on data from IQAir, saying they do not reflect actual conditions.
In a 29 March statement, the ministry criticised international coverage, including by Radio France Internationale, for relying on external data without cross-checking official sources.
Spokesperson Khvay Atitya said Cambodia uses a nationwide monitoring network that directly measures pollutants such as PM2.5. He argued IQAir relies partly on satellite data and modelling, which may not capture local conditions accurately.
He said air quality from 07:00 on 28 March to 07:00 on 29 March was “good”, with PM2.5 averaging 25.32 µg/m³, below the 50 µg/m³ standard.
Atitya added that satellite systems may misread humidity or fog as pollution, especially in cities like Phnom Penh, and urged media to verify data with national sources.
IQAir is a Swiss-based company specialising in air quality monitoring and pollution protection technologies, and operates the AirVisual platform, which provides real-time global air quality data. Its key markets include Asia and North America.
