Short answer. Indonesia's official air index, the ISPU, has five categories: baik (good), sedang (moderate), tidak sehat (unhealthy), sangat tidak sehat (very unhealthy) and berbahaya (dangerous) 1. Authorities must publish PM2.5 every hour 1. Check the environment ministry's ISPU portal 2 or BMKG's PM2.5 page, which shows station readings in the same five categories 3. In the haze season, BMKG maps smoke and fire hotspots 4.
Where can I check air quality right now?
Two official sources:
- ISPU portal of the environment ministry (Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup) 2.
- BMKG's PM2.5 page, which lists stations across the country with their latest reading and category 3.
Under the 2020 ISPU regulation, the minister, governors and regents or mayors must publish the ISPU every hour for PM2.5, and at least twice a day for PM10, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons 1. When the ISPU is unhealthy, very unhealthy or dangerous, every pollutant must be published every hour 1. How official warnings reach you is on our Indonesia alerts page.
What do the index levels mean?
The regulation's annex sets a number, a colour and advice for each ISPU category 1:
| Category | ISPU | Colour | Sensitive groups 1 | Everyone 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baik (good) | 1-50 | Green | Very good for outdoor activities | Very good for outdoor activities |
| Sedang (moderate) | 51-100 | Blue | Reduce physical activity that is too long or too heavy | You can still be active outdoors |
| Tidak sehat (unhealthy) | 101-200 | Yellow | Outdoor activity is possible with more frequent breaks and light activity; watch for coughing or shortness of breath | Reduce prolonged physical activity outdoors |
| Sangat tidak sehat (very unhealthy) | 201-300 | Red | Avoid all outdoor activities; stay active indoors or reschedule to a time with good air | Avoid prolonged physical activity outdoors; consider staying active indoors |
| Berbahaya (dangerous) | 301 and above | Black | Stay indoors and do only light activity | Avoid all outdoor activities |
In the unhealthy category, the annex adds that people with asthma should follow their asthma health instructions and keep their asthma medicine, and that in people with heart disease, palpitations, a faster heartbeat, shortness of breath or unusual fatigue may point to a serious problem 1. When the ISPU is unhealthy, very unhealthy or dangerous, the minister, governors and regents or mayors must take air pollution control measures 1.
For PM2.5, the ISPU is calculated from 24-hour concentrations. BMKG's PM2.5 page uses the same limits as the regulation's conversion table 13:
| Category | PM2.5 (µg/m³) 3 |
|---|---|
| Baik (good) | 0-15.5 |
| Sedang (moderate) | 15.6-55.4 |
| Tidak sehat (unhealthy) | 55.5-150.4 |
| Sangat tidak sehat (very unhealthy) | 150.5-250.4 |
| Berbahaya (dangerous) | above 250.5 |
See Air quality index explained.
How polluted is the air on average?
The population-weighted median of Indonesian cities shows about 22 µg/m³ of PM2.5 (annual mean 2021-2023) 5, more than four times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ 7. Nitrogen dioxide is about 10.3 µg/m³ 6, just above the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m³ 7. That NO2 figure is a regional background over roughly 80 km: a busy street will be higher.
What should I do on a bad air day, or during haze?
Check the ISPU or nearest BMKG station several times a day when the category is unhealthy or worse, and follow the ISPU advice for each level 13.
- Follow the readings. Check the ISPU or BMKG station nearest you, several times a day when the category is unhealthy or worse, since every pollutant is then published hourly 13.
- Haze from forest and land fires: BMKG publishes smoke-spread imagery with wind direction, satellite fire hotspots (VIIRS and MODIS) and fire weather indices 4. For what to do at each level, follow the ISPU advice above 1.
- Protect your home and sensitive people: see A clean-air room at home, Masks for smoke, Wildfire smoke, Sensitive people and polluted air and Children and polluted air.
A household plan can note who at home is sensitive to polluted air, which masks you keep and which room you seal on haze days.
Frequently asked questions
Does Indonesia have its own air quality index?
Yes, the ISPU (Indeks Standar Pencemar Udara), set by a 2020 regulation of the environment and forestry minister 1.
How often is the ISPU updated?
Every hour for PM2.5; at least twice a day for other pollutants, and every hour for all of them when the air is unhealthy or worse 1.
What PM2.5 level is "unhealthy" in Indonesia?
On BMKG's scale, 55.5 to 150.4 µg/m³ 3.
Where can I see haze and fire hotspots?
On BMKG's forest and land fire warning page 4.
Sources · 7
- Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (KLHK) · Peraturan Menteri LHK No. P.14/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/7/2020 tentang Indeks Standar Pencemar Udara (Berita Negara 2020 No. 774), archived copy of peraturan.go.id checked 2026-10-27
- Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup · Indeks Standar Pencemar Udara (ISPU) checked 2026-10-27
- BMKG (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika) · Konsentrasi Partikulat (PM2.5) checked 2026-10-27
- BMKG (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika) · Peringatan Kebakaran Hutan dan Lahan checked 2026-10-27
- Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG), Washington University in St. Louis · Surface PM2.5, V6.GL.02.04 (annual mean 2021-2023) checked 2026-10-27
- Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) · CAMS global reanalysis (EAC4) checked 2026-10-27
- World Health Organization (WHO) · WHO global air quality guidelines (2021) checked 2026-10-27