Air Quality is becoming a big issue in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai in the country. In Delhi, the bad air quality during this season generally happens due to the burning of farm stubble in neighbouring states and due to winter smog, but in Mumbai, the experts say bad air quality is happening due to dust not being controlled at construction sites. Bad air quality can have far-reaching effects on you and your loved ones. From wildfires, to exhaust fumes from cars or factories to dust, mold spores, and pollen, many things can pollute and affect the air quality.
Research shows that if outdoor air has too many pollutants, especially human-made toxic substances, long-term exposure to it can cause a range of diseases and hurt your body in several ways.
Long-term exposure to poor air quality is linked to many health problems like- Asthma, Bronchitis, Heart attacks, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Allergies, Shortness of breath, chest pain, Wheezing, Coughing and Premature death.
How to tell if bad air quality is affecting you
If you or your loved ones live or work in areas with high levels of air pollution and breathe in too much of it, you might notice signs and symptoms like- Running nose, burning eyes, Trouble breathing, Irritation in the throat and lungs, Excessive phlegm and worsened heart or lung conditions. Smog from air pollution, wildfires, or smoke from factory chimneys may also reduce your range of vision or create a hazy environment. This might make it hard to drive or get around and increase your risk of roadway accidents.
Who’s at risk?
People who have a higher risk of bad health effects from poor air quality are:
- People with heart or lung disease. Those with conditions like heart failure, angina, ischemic heart disease, COPD, and asthma are more likely to have bad reactions to poor outdoor air quality.
- Older adults. They are more likely to have heart and lung disease than younger people.
- Children and teenagers. Their lungs and respiratory systems are still developing. They also tend to breathe more air per kg of body weight than adults and also are more active outdoors. This makes them more likely to be affected by poor air quality.
- People with diabetes. This can affect the heart and health. Exposure to bad air can make your condition worse.
- Pregnant women. Breathing in bad air with toxic substances could put the woman and her developing baby inside the womb at risk.
- People who have lower incomes. Those who have lower incomes and other social and economic barriers tend to live closer to sources of air pollution like factories, urban city centres, or highways. This puts them at higher risk for long-term exposure to dirty air than those who live where the air is cleaner.
- People who are active outdoors. If you like to exercise or stay active outdoors in areas with bad air quality, it is more likely that you will breathe toxic substances that affect your health.
Common outdoor air pollutants
There are over 200 human-made toxic substances that are released into the air around you daily. These can include:
- Smog– it is the least controlled pollutant in the world. It can be dangerous as it affects your health if you breathe it in.
- Particulate matter– Also called particle pollution. It is a mixture of very tiny solid and liquid particles that are in the air we breathe. Usually, it is so small that you can not spot it with your naked eye. It is dangerous if you breathe in for a long time.
- Nitrogen dioxide– It is the gas that is the result of burning fuels. If you live on a busy street or near the highway, you might be breathing in too much nitrogen dioxide.
- Sulphur dioxide– This chemical enters outdoor air when you burn sulphur-containing fuels such as coal, oil or diesel. If you live by a coal-burning factory or a seaside port, you are more likely to breathe in sulphur dioxide from the air.
- Carbon monoxide– It is an invisible gas with no smell that forms because of burning fuels. You can find high levels of it near busy streets and highways.
What causes outdoor air pollution
- Electric utilities that burn coal, natural gas, oil and biomass produce air pollutants that affect your lung health.
- Vehicles like cars, motorbikes, buses, and trains used to move people, goods, and fuel from one place to another can make the air around you dirty and fill with toxic substances.
- Commercial and industrial- Burning fuels to heat, cool, and power businesses, industrial plants, or manufacturing facilities can put harmful substances into the air.
- Emergencies and natural disasters- Wildfires, floods, hurricanes and other natural events can lead to unhealthy air quality.
- Climate change– Growing toxic substance levels in outdoor air have led to climate change that affects everybody’s health on the planet.
- Acid rain– Too many toxic substances in the air can also lead to ‘acid rain’. It happens when rain contains particles of sulphuric and nitric acids. It could also affect your skin if you come in contact with it.
Tips to protect your health from poor air quality
- Pay attention to local weather and air quality forecasts.
- Stay indoors, and shut doors and windows- if there is a smog alert, a natural disaster like wildfires nearby, or if you live close to a factory or highways, stop bad quality air from getting inside your premises.
- Avoid exercising outdoors in areas where the pollution is high- avid running or walking in high-traffic areas. Vehicles like buses and cars can emit toxic substances and make air quality unhealthy. Also, try to limit how much your child plays outdoors when the air quality is bad.
- Use eco-friendly utilities at home- Using less energy or eco-friendly sources like solar power for electricity, you can reduce the number of toxic substances released in and around your home and community.
- Pay attention to air quality-related health symptoms.
- Do not burn wood or trash.
- Choose to eat or gather at tobacco-free places- smoke from cigarettes or smoking tools like pipes or hookahs can pollute the air around you with toxic substances.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
22nd November 2023