Nairobi - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
There is some pollution but it's not too bad. Seasonal allergens can be pretty rough. There is dust everywhere when it's not the rainy season. Standalone housing does not have air conditioning, so the Grove was billed as a great place for people with allergies because they can shut the windows and use filtered AC instead; however, the amount of mold here pretty much cancels that out. - Mar 2024
Air quality was generally okay. - Aug 2023
Not bad but frequent burning of trash especially in winter is a problem. - Mar 2022
It's generally good. In more urban areas, it might not be great, like in Westlands. That's an issue of cars, trucks, and dust, but it's not horrible. It's not like Manila or Delhi. - Aug 2021
No issues. - Nov 2020
Big blue skies most of the year. - Dec 2018
Air quality is usually pretty great, but then that depends where you live and how much time you spend around burning trash and exhaust fumes.
Burning trash is very common here, as is burning animal excrement. There have been times where I can feel the toxins sticking to the back of my throat. And unfortunately most of the world's cast-off vehicles end up in Africa, and I don't believe they've ever heard of emissions testing. It can be pretty bad. Black clouds of poison constantly spewing out the back end of matatus and trucks, but like I said, most of the time the air here is wonderful. Clean, dry mountain air. I'll certainly miss it. - Dec 2018
I love the air quality outside of the city. - Jun 2018
There's a lot of garbage burning in Kenya, as well as fires for heating in most houses and for cooking in the less affluent areas, so the air isn't the cleanest. Also, the growing cycle of most plants doesn't really go dormant, so there are several pollen explosions throughout the year. Allergies and asthma are big issues. - Jul 2016
Nairobi is very polluted - Sep 2015
Great unless you are in traffic or heavy traffic areas. - Aug 2015
Generally okay except when you are on city roads. Trucks and buses especially belch large quantities of thick black smoke. It's not unusual to have cars 4-5 car lengths ahead completely obliterated by a couple of large trucks' exhaust. Be advised, the main way to mow the grass is to burn the yard. Trash too. So there are little plumes of smoke rising from all over, which can linger even though it stops after dark. - Jul 2015
Dusty in the dry seaons, but not unreasonable. - May 2015
Very good in the suburbs, not great downtown but this area can be avoided. - Dec 2014
Good. - Jun 2014
Great. - Jun 2014
Medium - there are a lot of people who burn trash and when you are driving and stuck in horrible traffic, you inhale horrible diesel fumes. - Mar 2014
Not bad. You get days where the smell of burning trash and matatu (local buses) exhaust is overwhelming. However, it is all personal perspective. Coming from west Africa...the air is perfect. - Jul 2013
I used to think it wasn't that great, with trash burning and diesel vehicles, but once I returned to the US, I realized it was pretty darned awesome. - Jun 2013
Bad. Fuel quality is below international standards and this means that there's a lot of black smoke coming out of the million or so cars in Nairobi. Plus, everyone burns wood or garbage for heat. There's dust everywhere. - Dec 2012
Moderate: variable between good and unhealthy. Lots of people warm themselves by burning trash along the side of the road. Cooking is done with charcoal, and there are zero emissions controls. However, there is frequent rain to clean out the air and lots of plants and flowers -- it sometimes smells nice. - Aug 2012
Good, but the Kenyans burn trash - Dec 2011
Decent, except when people are burning trash. - Dec 2011
Air quality is not that great because the local gardeners are always burning their cuttings. Some days could be really bad. - Sep 2011
the air is great, except while driving- all the black smoke from the matatus and other trucks... like any other third world city - Dec 2010
