Traffic related PM2.5 air quality: Policy options for developing Pacific Island countries

•Fiji roadside PM2.5 was higher in concentration compared to developed countries.•Roadside PM2.5 concentrations in Lautoka were greater than twice the WHO guideline.•96% of the sampling days in Lautoka is categorised as poor or very poor.•Inadequate vehicle use and emission control policies contributing to air pollution.•Viable policy options suggested to reduce emissions from land transport sector in PICs. Traffic related PM2.5 air pollution data remain largely absent in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Increased use of second hand cars and inadequate emission control policies may result in harmful levels of roadside PM2.5 concentrations. To bridge the data gap, we monitored roadside PM2.5 concentrations in two of the largest cities in the PIC’s, Suva and Lautoka, both of Fiji using high volume air sampler. Daily mean roadside PM2.5 concentrations in Suva and Lautoka cities were reported to be 21.6 ± 13.3 µg/m3 and 67.2 ± 35.2 µg/m3 respectively. In comparison, mean PM2.5 concentration determined at the roadside site in Lautoka city was more than twice the World Health Organisation 24 h mean guideline concentration of 25 µg/m3. Elevated PM2.5 in Lautoka may have serious public health implications. This work investigates existing vehicle emission and importation related polices and approaches in reducing land transport based emissions in the PICs.