South Africans are breathing toxic air. And communities living near factories or plants belching pollutants into the air are breathing in concentrations of airborne particles five times greater than levels recommended by the World Health Organisation. The WHO yesterday released its air quality limits map which showed that Johannesburg and Tshwane communities were exposed to almost five times more fine-particle pollution than allowed by the existing national ambient air quality standard of 25?g/m³ and the WHO recommended standard of 10?g/m³.The map, based on data between 2011 and 2014 from monitoring stations, showed that communities in the Vaal Triangle were breathing in toxic air from Eskom's Lethabo power station, ArcelorMittal's steelworks and Sasol.In 2014, the concentration of fine particles in the air breathed by Diepkloof, Kliprivier and Sebokeng residents, was more than twice the allowed standard.These particles are made up of sulphates, nitrates and black carbon which penetrate deep into the lungs and the cardiovascular system, and are a result of inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste burning, coal-fired power plants and industrial activities.Robyn Hugo, the head of the Pollution and Climate Change Programme at the Centre for Environmental Rights, said yesterday mining, transportation and burning of coal, in particular, were being conducted in ways that resulted in regular violations of constitutional rights of communities living around industrial areas."Three areas in South Africa - the Vaal Triangle, the Mpumalanga Highveld, and the Waterberg-Bojanala district - have been declared priority areas in the Air Quality Act. What this means is that air quality is so poor that the health-based ambient air quality standards are being exceeded and a management plan is required to reduce air pollution."To make matters worse, South African air quality standards are substantially lower than those recommended by the WHO," she said.Although they have been rated a priority for more than nine years, air quality management plans for the Vaal and Highveld area have not been forthcoming."Even more worrying, are indications that a further deterioration in air quality - and subsequently people's health - is likely."We say this because the government plans to introduce an extra 2500MW of coal-fired power from independent power producers, and 3750MW of coal-fired power from cross-border projects."Eskom's Medupi and Kusile coal-fired power stations will be commissioned and Eskom has indicated it does not plan to decommission stations, but rather to extend their life-spans," Hugo said.She said many Eskom stations failed to meet air-emission standards. The Department of Environmental Affairs did not respond to requests for comment...