DANGER IN THE AIR YOU BREATHE
Efforts needed from all sectors and the public to combat pollutants harmful to health and economy
WE NEED air to live, but few are aware that the very same air can also be a cause of death for many.
To be precise, 6.5 million worldwide is the number of deaths associated with air pollution in 2012.
Despite taking away more lives than all wars combined, there is still a lack of awareness regarding the effects of air pollution on our health and the economy.
This is partly due to its insidious nature. And often, we do not think about the importance of clean air in our lungs until it is too late.
What is air pollutant?
By definition, an air pollutant is “any substance in the air that could -- in high enough concentrations -harm humans, animals, vegetation or material.”
These include ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide.
However, fine particulate matter is of particular concern because fine particulates, or PM2.5, refer to respirable particles that penetrate the respiratory system.
They can occur naturally such as from volcanic eruptions, but are mostly man-made from sources including diesel vehicles, power plants and agricultural burning.
Effects of air pollutant
While air pollution affects everyone, some groups are more vulnerable than others. They include those with pre-existing conditions and those at the extreme ends of age.
For example, PM2.5 exposure for expectant mothers is associated with birth defects.
Children are more susceptible to the effects of pollutants because their lungs are still developing and they also tend to inhale more air.
This may lead to suboptimal lung function from excess exposure to air pollutants, eventually preventing them from achieving their full physical potential.
At the other end of the spectrum, a study of 60 million Americans aged 65 and above showed that long-term exposure to fine particulates increases the risk of premature deaths.
The evidence from studies worldwide is striking -- PM2.5 is linked to a range of medical ailments, with higher levels of exposure leading to a poorer quality of life and potential fatality.
There is also no doubt that even a small change in the level of pollutants will have an enormous impact on both public health as well as the economy.
Moving Forward
The annual average of PM2.5 in Malaysia is 50% more than the safe level as determined by the World Health Organisation; conditions are worse in urban settings.
As individuals, we need to take small but important steps to help decrease air pollution, such as rethinking the way we travel that includes the option of public transport or carpooling.
Using low or no-emission vehicles will also help improve the air we breathe.
Another way is to take steps to decrease exposure: avoiding exposure during peak hours to help mitigate the adverse effects.
This also applies to those who are routinely stuck in traffic during peak hours -- exposure can be decreased by ensuring that vehicles’ windows are closed and by setting the vehicles ventilation system to recirculate.
More can be achieved with appropriate policies like moving away from coal to cleaner fossil fuels such as gas, which is likely to bring about substantial health and economic benefits.
A 2010 report from the Clean Air Task Force in the US stated that particle pollution from existing coal power plants was expected to cause 13,200 premature deaths in 2010, not to mention some 9,700 additional hospitalisations and about 20,000 heart attacks.
Additionally, diesel vehicles, particularly older ones, are large contributors of air pollution.
Soot-free vehicles like those with electric or hybrid engines, compressed natural gas or biogas, have the potential to reduce the production of the carcinogenic fine particulates.
Appropriate policy changes will have an even bigger impact when applied to the energy section -from increasing gas-powered plants to better control of fugitive emissions and capturing of flared gas.
Increasing the role of gas in our energy mix results in the use of much cleaner alternative to other fossil fuels.
The reduction of fine particulates and other emissions such as carbon and sulfur dioxide will result in immediate and long-term benefits for the environment and our health.
With clean air, we are able to go out for walks or take our children to the park without having to worry about health consequences.
By being more aware of the role of clean air in our lives, we can take the right steps towards ensuring that we live in a better, healthier world for generations to come.
This article is contributed by Dr Helmy Haja Mydin who is a consultant respiratory physician at Twin Towers Medical Centre and Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur. He is also the co-founder of Asthma Malaysia.