Widespread impact of air pollution: Here's how you can lower health risks

Everyone loves a breath of fresh air Unfortunately too often our air is anything but freshWhile air quality varies dramatically from place to place and day to day nearly the entire world ndash about 9937 of the global population ndash is exposed to air at some point that doesnt meet the strict standards set by the World Health Organisation the agency has reportedPolluted air laden noxious gasses or tiny invisible particles that burrow into human bodies kills 7 million people prematurely every year the UN health agency estimatesAnd for the millions living in some of the worlds smoggiest cities ndash many of them in Asia like New Delhi Dhaka Bangladesh Bangkok and Jakarta Indonesia ndash bad air might seem inescapableBut there are things that people can do starting with understanding that the air isnt only polluted when it looks smoggy said Tanushree Ganguly of the Energy Policy Institute of Chicago in IndialdquoBlue skies cant guarantee you clean airrdquo she saidWhat are the most dangerous kinds of air pollutants and their sourcesAir pollutants often come from people burning things Fuels such as coal natural gas diesel and gasoline for electricity and transportation crops or trees for agricultural purposes or as a result of wildfiresFine inhalable particles known as particulate matter are among the most dangerous The tiniest of these ndash known as PM 25 because they are less than 25 microns in diameter ndash can get deep into human lungs and are mostly created by burning fuels Coarser particles known as PM 10 are linked to agriculture roadways mining or the wind blowing eroded dust according to the WHOOther dangerous pollutants include gases like nitrogen dioxide or sulfur dioxide which are also produced from burning fuels said Anumita Roychowdhury an air pollution expert at the Centre for Science and Environment in New DelhiThe sources and intensity of air pollution varies in different cities and seasons For instance old motorbikes and industrial boilers are major contributors to bad air in Indonesian capital Jakarta while burning of agricultural waste is a major reason for air pollution spikes in cities in Thailand and India Brick kilns that burn coal adds to pollution in Dhaka Bangladeshs capital And seasonal forest fires cause problems in Brazil and North AmericaWhat health problems can air pollution causeAir pollution is the secondlargest risk factor for early death globally behind high blood pressure according to a recent report by the Health Effects InstituteShortterm exposure can trigger asthma attacks and increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke especially in the elderly or people with medical problems Longterm exposure can cause serious heart and lung problems that can lead to death including heart disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung infectionsA recent analysis by the UN childrens agency found that more than 500 million children in East Asia and Pacific countries breathe unhealthy air and the pollution is linked to the deaths of 100 children under 5 every day June Kunugi UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia said the polluted air compromises growth harms lungs and impacts their cognitive abilitiesldquoEvery breath matters but for too many children every breath can bring harmrdquo she saidAlso ReadAir pollution is harming your eyes Herersquos how you can protect themWhats the best way to tell if air is safeOver 6000 cities in 117 countries now monitor air quality and many weather mobile apps include air quality information But trying to gauge how bad the air is by looking at these numbers can be confusingTo help people understand air quality levels more easily many countries have adopted an air quality index or AQI ndash a numerical scale where larger numbers mean worse air They are also often assigned different colours to show whether the air is clean or notBut different countries have different air quality standards For instance Indias daily PM 25 limit is more than 15times higher than Thailands limit and 4times higher than WHO standardsThis means that countries calculate AQIs differently and the numbers arent comparable with each other This is also why sometimes AQI scores by private companies using stricter standards may be different from those calculated by national regulatorsWhat are the best ways to protect yourself from air pollutionThe goal of course is to limit exposure when air quality is bad by staying inside or wearing a maskStaying inside however isnt always possible especially for people who must live or work outside noted Danny Djarum an air quality researcher at World Resources Institute an environmental advocacy groupldquoThey cant really afford not going outrdquo he saidPakaphol Asavakomolnant an office worker in Bangkok said that he wears a mask every day and avoids riding to work on a motorbike ldquoI get a sore throat when I come to work in the morning and I forget to wear a maskrdquo he saidPeople also need to be aware of indoor air pollution which can often be caused by common household activities like cooking or even burning an incense stickWhat are the benefits ndash and limitations ndash of air purifiersAir purifiers can help reduce indoor air pollution but they have their limitations They work by pulling air from a room pushing it through a filter that traps pollutants before circulating it backBut theyre are most effective when used in small spaces and when people are nearby Air purifiers can only clean a certain amount of air said Rajasekhar Balasubramanian who studies urban air quality at the National University of Singapore ldquoIf we have a tiny air purifier in a large room it wont be effectiverdquo he saidAir purifiers are also too expensive for people in many in developing countriesldquoThe majority of people who are affected by air pollution cant really afford air purifiersrdquo said WRIs DjarumThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever