The Impact of Pollution and Poor Air Quality on Music Festivals.

There have always been times when the air quality has been poor sometimes leading to health hazards. With improvements in measuring and monitoring equipment plus greater scientific work and increased media coverage the awareness of air quality conditions has improved. What can organisers of outdoor music festivals do to manage potential adverse air quality on their site.

With a greater emphasis on climate issues and the environment many government agencies and NGOs are funding research and creating strategies to further understand air quality and its impact. As most large-scale music festivals are held in outdoor locations organisers need to be aware of potential air quality issues on the dates of their planned events. 

Measurement of Air Quality. 
The universal method for measuring air quality is generally based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) which is a measure of pollutants in the atmosphere. The most common pollutants measured are generally particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) where an AQI score is assigned which may vary from 50 (good) to over 200 (hazardous). Most environmental agencies install fixed scientific measuring equipment in strategic locations to continually monitor pollutants in the air mostly caused by smoke from agricultural burning and dust, sometime associated with construction sites for example. There are also a variety of handheld devices which can also measure a number of air quality parameters although these may be less reliable than fixed site equipment. AQI statistics and forecasts are regularly reported on in the media usually by weather services. 

Common Health Risks. 
High AQI levels can have a negative impact on anyone who suffers from asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions. For those who do not have recognised respiratory conditions poor air quality can still cause issues like headaches, dizziness, general fatigue, eye irritation, sneezing, and allergic reactions. If a high AQI is reported at the same time as a heatwave it can lead to smog like conditions which can exasperate heat exhaustion and heatstroke risks. These conditions on or near a festival site can make festival-goers feel uncomfortable and impact negatively on their overall experience. 

Direct Impact on Festival Organisation. 
Poor air quality doesn't just the impact festival-goers it can also have a detrimental effect on sensitive equipment. Dust can damage sound and lighting electronics and in severe cases may lead to equipment failure. If a festival site has been subject to long tern dry weather the site build-up activities and car movements can churn up large quantities of dust which can cover every surface of temporary structures on the festival site requiring regular cleaning. In extreme cases pollution and high temperatures can affect how sound travels causing distorted acoustics for example. If festival-goers are made aware of pending high AQI scores for the festival site over its duration some may choose not to attend or cancel tickets. 

Actions for Festival Organisers. 
Having an accurate way to measure air quality and produce forecasts is essential to planning actions that can help mitigate high AQI scores. The use of water sprays on heavily used high traffic areas and the of installation of fine mist generators can help to reduce dust in the atmosphere. Festival organisers always provide on-site medical facilities but they should consider ramping up services to specifically cater for respiratory conditions and heat related illness if the site has a high AQI. It is essential that organisers communicate in real time about any potential air quality dangers which can be done through their festival App or social media channels. AQI alerts should be accompanied by advice for festival-goers which may include use of face masks along with the location of medical facilities and festival site zones that have lower AQI scores. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by resprouk via Pixabay.

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