AIR ENVIRONMENT

Air is the general name for the mixture of gases that makes up the Earth's atmosphere.
Air is also an early chemical term for a type of gas. Many individual airs made up the air we breathe.
Vital air was later determined to be oxygen, phlogisticated air became nitrogen.

Air is the Earth's atmosphere. It is the clear gas in which living things live and breathe. It has an
indefinite shape and volume. It has no color or smell. It has mass and weight. It is a matter as it has mass
and weight. Air creates atmosphere pressure.

What is air pollutant?

A substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment is known as an air pollutant.
Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. In addition, they may be natural
or man-made.

Any substance in air that could, in high enough concentration, harm animals, humans, vegetation,
and/or materials. Such pollutants may be present as solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. Air
pollutants fall into two main groups: (1) those emitted from identifiable sources and, (2) those formed in
the air by interaction between other pollutants. Over one hundred air pollutants have been identified,
which include halogen compounds, nitrogen compounds, oxygen compounds, radioactive compounds,
sulphur (sulfur) compounds, and volatile organic chemicals (VOC).

Here are some of the most important pollutants to know.

1. Carbon Monoxide (CO): Carbon Monoxide is a highly toxic and dangerous pollutant, infamous for its
lack of identifying color and smell. At one point, this gas was extremely prevalent in homes for use in
domestic heating before it was found to be unsuitable, and it has since been replaced by much safer
solutions such as natural gas and electricity. However, this gas is far from extinct in human use.

Sources: Most commonly, Carbon Monoxide is produced by combustion engines running without
modern catalytic convertors. Other common sources of Carbon Monoxide are old gas and fuel
appliances, incinerators, and even cigarettes.

Effects: Carbon Monoxide can have a profound effect on the environment as it is extremely poisonous,
and can contribute to very dangerous ground-level air and ozone conditions.

2. Lead (Pb): Lead has long been known to be a dangerous substance. Once commonplace in nearly all
gas and aviation fuels, there has since been tremendous effort to reduce the amount of lead found in
these substances. Since the introduction of lead-free gasoline, the volume of lead in the atmosphere has
dropped enormously.

Sources: While efforts have been made to remove lead from fuel, it continues to be present in some
aircraft fuel. Similarly, the outpouring of lead from metal processing plants, and the release of lead from
waste processes such as incineration and battery acid production means that there is still enough lead in
the air to recognize it as a dangerous pollution.

Effects: Lead can not only poison humans, but it also has a profound effect upon natural ecosystems.
Contaminating air, soil, and water, lead can cause damage to flora and fauna alike.

3. Ozone (O3): Ozone is not inherently bad. After all, the ozone layer is one of the major protections
mankind has against harmful solar radiation. However, ground level Ozone has become a major problem
in recent years.

Sources: Ground level Ozone is formed by chemical reactions between multiple different oxides found in
the air, which – when exposed to sunlight – can form new compounds and leave Ozone as a by-product.
The majority of the emissions which make up Ozone come from the usual suspects such as car exhausts,
factory processing, electric utilities and power plants, and even some chemical solvents.

Effects: Ozone is a dangerous substance for most living organisms, and as such an increase in ground
level Ozone has a notable effect on human health as well as the overall health of multiple ecosystems on
land and in the seas.

4. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2): Nitrogen Dioxide is one of the oxides which can react to produce Ozone, but
that is far from its only negative effect. Nitrogen Dioxide is one of the gases that one most commonly
thinks to when considering air pollution: thick, brown, and choking, it is one of the more visibly harmful
pollutants.

Sources: Nitrogen Dioxide, like many other pollutants, is most often released into the atmosphere by the
burning of fossil fuels in car engines, airplane engines, factories, and power plants.

Effects: In addition to being a choking and obstructive gas in the air, Nitrogen Dioxide also has the
propensity to react with other agents to form nitric acid and organic nitrates, contributing to the
formation of acid rain.

Needless to say, Nitrogen Oxide has a huge effect on humans, increasing the likelihood of respiratory
problems, cancers, and other lung problems. Acid rains produced by Nitrogen Dioxide are extremely
harmful to plants and animals across the world, and can lead to further problems in water systems.

5. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2): Sulfur Dioxide is a substance most closely associated with the steam age and
locomotives, as the biggest culprit in its production is coal combustion. However, these days are not so
far gone as you may have thought.

Sources: To this day, locomotives, ships, planes, and other equipment still produce huge volumes of
Sulfur Dioxide. Industrial processes, particularly ore extraction and purification, are also producers of
the gas.

Effects: Sulfur Dioxide, like Nitrogen Dioxide, is a compound which often mixes with other pollutants in
the air to form harmful acids, but it is also harmful on its own. Common effects of Sulfur Dioxide
poisoning are respiratory problems, eye problems, and even heart and circulatory problems.
Importantly, Sulfuric Acid, created by the mixing of sulfur with water, is a potent acid which is not only
destructive to human property but also to trees, soils, and water systems.

6. Particulate Matter (PM): Particulate Matter is something a lot more visible and tangible than the
components listed above, but is no less dangerous or harmful. The matter generally consists of soot,
dirt, and chemical byproducts produced through combustion or chemical mixing.

Sources: Particle matter is produced by nearly every single process involving chemicals and fuels, as well
as more innocuous processes such as farming and road construction. Any process which produces a
physical byproduct will generally result in particulate matter.

Effects: Particle Matter ranges from annoying to extremely dangerous, often hampering visibility on
roads and causing respiratory problems. Particulate Matter is associated with a range of heart, lung, and
eye conditions in humans, and is also linked to an increased likelihood of developing cancers later in life.

Primary & Secondary pollutant

A primary pollutant is an air pollutant emitted directly from a source.

A secondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary
pollutants) react in the atmosphere.

Examples of a secondary pollutant include ozone, which is formed when hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen
oxides (NOx) combine in the presence of sunlight; NO2, which is formed as NO combines with oxygen in
the air; and acid rain, which is formed when sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides react with water.

Air pollutants can also be of primary or secondary nature.

Primary air pollutants are the ones that are emitted directly into the atmosphere by the sources (such as
power-generating plants).

Secondary air pollutants are the ones that are formed as a result of reactions between primary
pollutants and other elements in the atmosphere, such as ozone.

What is the difference between Primary Pollutants and Secondary Pollutants?

Primary pollutants are directly emitted into the air by the source. In contrast, secondary pollutants are
produced by the reactions between primary pollutants and other molecules.
Primary pollutants are released due to human activities or naturally. However, secondary pollutants are
often, made naturally.

Controlling the release of primary pollutants is easier than controlling the ways of secondary pollutant
synthesizing.

Possibly one of the most important characteristics of air pollutants is their transboundary nature - they
can easily travel and affect the areas far away from their points of origination.

Primary pollutants: Primary pollutants are those gases or particles that are pumped into the air to make
it unclean. They include carbon monoxide from automobile (cars) exhausts and sulfur dioxide from the
combustion of coal. Primarily air pollutants can be caused by primary sources or secondary sources. The
pollutants that are a direct result of the process can be called primary pollutants. A classic example of a
primary pollutant would be the sulfur-dioxide emitted from factories

Air pollution is a change in the physical, chemical and biological characteristic of air that causes adverse
effects on humans and other organisms. The ultimate result is a change in the natural environment
and/or ecosystem.

Air Pollutants

The substances that are responsible for causing air pollution are called air pollution. These air pollutants
can be either natural (e.g. wildfires) or synthetic (man-made); they may be in the form of gas, liquid or
solid.

An air pollutant is known as a substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment.
Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. In addition, they may be natural
or man-made. Pollutants can be classified as either primary or secondary. Usually, primary pollutants are
substances directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption, the carbon monoxide
gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulphur dioxide released from factories.

Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react
or interact. An important example of a secondary pollutant is ground level ozone — one of the many
secondary pollutants that make up photochemical smog.

Examples of primary pollutants:

1. Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

SO2 is a gas formed when sulfur is exposed to oxygen at high temperatures during fossil fuel
combustion, oil refining, or metal smelting. SO2 is toxic at high concentrations, but its principal air
pollution effects are associated with the formation of acid rain and aerosols.

SO2 dissolves in cloud droplets and oxidizes to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which can fall to Earth as acid
rain or snow or form sulfate aerosol particles in the atmosphere.
2. Nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2, referred together as NOx)

NOx are highly reactive gases formed when oxygen and nitrogen react at high temperatures during
combustion or lightning strikes. Nitrogen present in fuel can also be emitted as NOx during combustion.
Emissions are dominated by fossil fuel combustion at northern mid-latitudes and by biomass burning in
the tropics.

In the atmosphere NOx reacts with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide to produce
ground-level ozone through a complicated chain reaction mechanism. It is eventually oxidized to nitric
acid (HNO3). Like sulfuric acid, nitric acid contributes to acid deposition and to aerosol formation.

3. Carbon monoxide (CO)

CO is an odorless, colorless gas formed by incomplete combustion of carbon in fuel. The main source is
motor vehicle exhaust, along with industrial processes and biomass burning.

Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells, reducing their ability to transport and release
oxygen throughout the body. Low exposures can aggravate cardiac ailments, while high exposures cause
central nervous system impairment or death.

It also plays a role in the generation of ground-level ozone.

4. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

VOCs including hydrocarbons (CxHy) but also other organic chemicals are emitted from a very wide
range of sources, including fossil fuel combustion, industrial activities, and natural emissions from
vegetation and fires. Some anthropogenic VOCs such as benzene are known carcinogens.

VOCs are also of interest as chemical precursors of ground-level ozone and aerosols. Large VOCs oxidize
in the atmosphere to produce nonvolatile chemicals that condense to form aerosols. Short-lived VOCs
interact with NOx to produce high ground-level ozone in polluted environments. Methane (CH4), the
simplest and most long-lived VOC, is of importance both as a greenhouse gas and as a source of
background tropospheric ozone. Major anthropogenic sources of methane include natural gas
production and use, coal mining, livestock, and rice paddies.

5. Particulate Matter

Particle pollution (also called particulate matter or PM) is the term for a mixture of solid particles and
liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark
enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron
microscope.
Particle pollution includes “inhalable coarse particles,” with diameters larger than 2.5 micrometers and
smaller than 10 micrometers and “fine particles,” with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers and smaller.

These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
Some particles, known as primary particles are emitted directly from a source, such as construction
sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires. Others form in complicated reactions in the
atmosphere of chemicals such as sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power
plants, industries and automobiles. These particles, known as secondary particles, make up most of the
fine particle pollution in the country.

6. Lead

In the past, motor vehicles were the major contributor of lead emissions to the air. As a result of
regulatory efforts to reduce lead in on-road motor vehicle gasoline, air emissions of lead from the
transportation sector, and particularly the automotive sector, have greatly declined over the past two
decades.

Major sources of lead emissions to the air today are ore and metals processing and piston-engine
aircraft operating on leaded aviation gasoline. The highest air concentrations of lead are usually found
near lead smelters. Other stationary sources are waste incinerators, utilities, paints and lead-acid
batterymanufacturers.

7. Ammonia

Ammonia is a colorless, pungent, hazardous caustic gas composed of nitrogen and hydrogen. Though
ammonia is used for different applications in many sectors, agriculture is its largest consumer and
producer. Livestock farming, animal waste and fertilizer application are the biggest sources of
atmospheric ammonia emissions within the agricultural sector.

Gaseous ammonia is a dangerous air pollutant. Breathing in large amounts can cause death.

Natural Sources of air pollution

Apart from the anthropogenic (man-made) sources, there are also natural sources of air pollution.The
natural sources of air pollution emissions include:

1. Volcanoes: Volcanic activity produces smoke, ash, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and other air
pollutants.

2. Geysers: The air pollutants emitted by geysers include hydrogen sulfide, arsenic and other heavy
metals.

3. Digestive gases: Methane and other gases generated by the digestion of food and emitted by animals
such as cattle.

4. Oceans, Rivers and Estuaries: These are sources of methane emissions thought to be caused by the
digestive systems of marine life, methanogenesis in sediments and drainage areas along coastal regions,
and possibly seepage from methane hydrates on the ocean floors.

5. Dust: Windblown dust from areas with little or no vegetation such as desert areas.
6. Sea salt: Wind-blown sea water which evaporates in the atmosphere and releases sodium chloride
and other particulates into the atmosphere.

7. Radioactive decay: Radon gas is released into the atmosphere by radioactive decay occurring in the
Earth’s crust.

8. Forest fires: Forest fires created by lightning, or other natural causes, result in the formation and
release of smoke, ash, dust, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other air pollutants.

9. Plants and trees: Biogenic sources such as pine trees and certain other plants and trees which release
volatile organic compounds (VOC). About 80% of the overall emissions of VOC are from biogenic
sources.

10. Wetlands: Microbial action in wetlands result in significant amounts of methane being formed and
released to the atmosphere. In fact, wetlands are the largest natural source of methane emissions.

11. Termites: Termites are the second largest natural source of methane emissions. The methane is
produced by their normal digestive process.

12. Lightning: Lightning converts atmospheric nitrogen to nitrogen oxides.

13. Soil outgassing: Another biogenic source wherein microbial action in soils result in the formation and
release of significant amounts of nitrogen oxides.

Examples of Secondary Pollutants:

OZONE

There are two types of ozone--upper ozone and lower ozone. Upper ozone shields humans, plants and
animals on Earth from radiation caused by the sun. Lower ozone is caused when hydrocarbons and
nitrogen oxides that are released by manufacturing plants and other industrial activity mix with sunlight.
Ozone is a well-known secondary pollution that affects many people with upper-respiratory illnesses, is
toxic to plant life and acts as a greenhouse gas that global warming. Ozone is the most damaging
secondary pollution in North America.

SMOG

Smog is another common secondary pollution. Smog is caused when car emissions and industrial
pollution interact with sunlight. Smog affects plant life and the health of animals and humans.

LANDFILLS

Secondary pollution is created by landfills in the form of water contamination. When landfills are
improperly contained, chemicals are leached into the water supply.

Gas may also be generated in landfills if not properly handled. Methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide and
hydrogen sulfide are all created by toxic substances found in landfills.
Proper containment and covering landfills with soil are both effective, if not perfect, ways to prevent
secondary pollution.

CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS (CFCS)

CFCs were safely used for years in cleaning products and as coolant for refrigerators. Though not toxic
during initial use, CFCs dissolve into the atmosphere and destroy the upper ozone. The upper ozone
protects Earth from radiation generated by the sun, and the depletion of the upper ozone can increase
the risk of cancer in humans.

ACID RAIN

Acid rain is caused by sulfuric and nitric acids. These acids are created by burning fossil fuels and some
industrial processes. The acids change the pH of rain or snow from neutral to very acidic. Though not
directly damaging to humans, acid rain affects fish and aquatic animals and has ruined some lakes to the
point that no fish survive in those waters.

What Is Air Pollution?

Being sick is pretty lousy, isn't it? If you know someone who has a cold, you tend to steer clear of them
because you don't want to catch their germs. Every time that person coughs or sneezes, their germs get
put into the air and are then free to travel to the next person. Can you imagine trying to contain
something like that in the air? It would be pretty difficult because, not only are the germs invisible, but
they expand outward as they enter the air.

We don't think of germs as air pollution, but it really is the same idea. Air pollutants are gases and
particles in the atmosphere that harm organisms and affect climate. Air pollution, then, is the release of
these particles and gases into the air. For the previous example, the germs would be the pollutants, but
the air wouldn't be polluted until those germs are sneezed out.

Officially, air pollution can be defined as the presence of harmful substances in the air, either
particulates or microscopic biologic molecules, that are pose health hazards to living organisms, such as
people, animals or plants. Air pollution comes in many forms and may include a number of different
pollutants and toxins in various combinations.

Air pollution is far more than a nuisance or inconvenience. According to the 2014 WHO (World Health
Organization) report, air pollution in 2014 caused the deaths of around 7 million people worldwide.

Causes of Air pollution

1. Burning of Fossil Fuels: Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum
and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air pollution. Pollution emitting from vehicles
including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause immense amount of pollution. We rely on them to
fulfill our daily basic needs of transportation. But, there overuse is killing our environment as dangerous
gases are polluting the environment. Carbon Monooxide caused by improper or incomplete combustion
and generally emitted from vehicles is another major pollutant along with Nitrogen Oxides, that is
produced from both natural and man-made processes.

After the industrial age, transportation has become a key part of our lives. Cars and heavy duty trucks,
trains, shipping vessels and airplanes all burn lots of fossil fuels to work. Emissions from automobile
engines contain both primary and secondary pollutants. This is a major cause of pollution and one that is
very difficult to manage. This is because humans rely heavily on vehicles and engines for transporting
people, good and services.

Fumes from car exhausts contain dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen,
hydrocarbons and particulates. On their own, they cause great harm to people who breathe them.
Additionally, they react with environmental gases to create further toxic gases.

2. Agricultural activities: Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture related activities and is
one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers in
agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit harmful chemicals into the air and can also cause
water pollution.

3. Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries release large amount of carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby depleting the quality
of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the earth and there is no area that has
not been affected by it. Petroleum refineries also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that
pollute the air and also cause land pollution.

Consider a typical manufacturing plant: You will notice that there are long tubes (called chimneys)
erected high into the air, with lots of smoke and fumes coming out of it. Waste incinerators,
manufacturing industries and power plants emit high levels of carbon monoxide, organic compounds,
and chemicals into the air. This happens almost everywhere that people live. Petroleum refineries also
release lots of hydrocarbons into the air.

4. Mining operations: Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted using large
equipments. During the process dust and chemicals are released in the air causing massive air pollution.
This is one of the reason which is responsible for the deteriorating health conditions of workers and
nearby residents.

5. Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic chemicals in the air
and cause air pollution. Have you ever noticed that once you paint walls of your house, it creates some
sort of smell which makes it literally impossible for you to breathe.

Suspended particulate matter popular by its acronym SPM, is another cause of pollution. Referring to
the particles afloat in the air, SPM is usually caused by dust, combustion etc.

Crop dusting, fumigating homes, household cleaning products or painting supplies, over the counter
insect/pest killers, fertilizer dust emit harmful chemicals into the air and cause pollution. In many cases,
when we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, we may fall ill if we breathe
them.

Effects of Air pollution

1. Respiratory and heart problems: The effects of Air pollution are alarming. They are known to create
several respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other threats to the body. Several
millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect effects of Air pollution. Children in areas
exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly suffer from pneumonia and asthma.

2. Global warming: Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is witnessing due to
Global warming. With increased temperatures worldwide, increase in sea levels and melting of ice from
colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat have already signaled an impending
disaster if actions for preservation and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.

3. Acid Rain: Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the atmosphere
during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combines with these air pollutants,
becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage
to human, animals and crops.

4. Eutrophication: Eutrophication is a condition where high amount of nitrogen present in some

pollutants gets developed on sea’s surface and turns itself into algae and and adversely affect fish,
plants and animal species. The green colored algae that is present on lakes and ponds is due to presence
of this chemical only.

5. Effect on Wildlife: Just like humans, animals also face some devastating effects of air pollution. Toxic
chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new place and change their habitat.
The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect sea animals.

6. Depletion of Ozone layer: Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting
humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of
chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As ozone layer will go thin, it will
emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related problems. UV rays also have the
capability to affect crops.

Pollution from plane

When you try to study the sources of Air pollution, you enlist a series of activities and interactions that
create these pollutants. There are two types of sources that we will take a look at: Natural sources and
Man-made sources.

Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind from locations with very little or no green
cover, gases released from the body processes of living beings (Carbon dioxide from humans during
respiration, Methane from cattle during digestion, Oxygen from plants during Photosynthesis). Smoke
from the combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic eruptions etc along with the emission of
polluted gases also make it to the list of Natural sources of Pollution.

While looking at the man-made contributions towards air pollution, smoke again features as a
prominent component. The smoke emitted from various forms of combustion like in bio mass, factories,
vehicles, furnaces etc. Wastes used to create landfills generate methane that is harmful in several ways.
The reactions of certain gases and chemicals also form harmful fumes that can be dangerous to the well
being of living creatures.

Solutions for Air Pollution

1. Use public mode of transportation: Encourage people to use more and more public modes of
transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of car pooling. If you and your colleagues come
from the same locality and have same timings you can explore this option to save energy and money.

2. Conserve energy: Switch off fans and lights when you are going out. Large amount of fossil fuels are
burnt to produce electricity. You can save the environment from degradation by reducing the amount of
fossil fuels to be burned.

3. Understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Do not throw away items that are of no use to
you. In-fact reuse them for some other purpose. For e.g. you can use old jars to store cereals or pulses.

4. Emphasis on clean energy resources: Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal are
on high these days. Governments of various countries have been providing grants to consumers who are
interested in installing solar panels for their home. This will go a long way to curb air pollution.

5. Use energy efficient devices: CFL lights consume less electricity as against their counterparts. They live
longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also help you to reduce pollution by
consuming less energy.

Several attempts are being made worldwide on a personal, industrial and governmental levels to curb
the intensity at which Air Pollution is rising and regain a balance as far as the proportions of the
foundation gases are concerned. This is a direct attempt at slacking Global warming. We are seeing a
series of innovations and experiments aimed at alternate and unconventional options to reduce
pollutants. Air Pollution is one of the larger mirrors of man’s follies, and a challenge we need to
overcome to see a tomorrow.

Basic Air Pollution Facts

Below are some random facts and info on environmental pollution.

WHO reports that in 2012 around 7 million people died - one in eight of total global deaths – as a result
of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air
pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Reducing air pollution could save
millions of lives.
Air pollutants (dangerous things that make the air unclean)come in the form of gases or particles.

It is estimated that you breathe 20,000 liters of air each day. This means the more polluted the air is, the
more we breathe into our lungs dangerous chemicals.

Air can be polluted both indoors and outdoors. Tobacco and other kinds of smoking are examples of
indoor air pollution.

Sick Building Syndrome is a health condition related to pesticides, insecticides and chemicals we use at
home and offices.

In the great "Smog Disaster" in London in 1952, four thousand people died in a few days due to the high
concentrations of pollution.

Air pollution affects kids more than adults because, for their body size, kids breathe more air and spend
more time playing outside.

More hazardous pollutants are discharged into the air each year than are released to surface water,
ground water, and land, combined.

Motor vehicles produce more air pollution than any other single human activity. One full commuter bus
can mean 40 less cars going through your neighborhood.

In America, vehicle exhaust contributes roughly 60% of all carbon monoxide emissions nationwide, and
up to 95% in cities.

Indoor Air Pollution

‘Indoor air’ is air within a building such as your home, classroom, office, shopping center, hospital or
gym. We say ‘Indoor Air Pollution’ if indoor air is contaminated by smoke, chemicals, smells or particles.

Unlike outdoor air pollution, the effect of indoor air pollution is health related and less of an
environmental issue. In colder regions, building and heating methods make use of airtight spaces, less
ventilation and energy efficient heating. Sometimes synthetic building materials, smells from household
care and furnishing chemicals can all be trapped indoors. As less fresh air gets indoors, the
concentration of pollutants such as pollen, tobacco smoke, mold, pesticides, radon, asbestos and carbon
monoxide trapped inside the building increases and people breathe that in.

Can pollution happen indoors

Did you know:

Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and leaky stoves, and burning
biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal.

Nearly 2 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from household
solid fuel use.

Nearly 50% of pneumonia deaths among children under five are due to particulate matter inhaled from
indoor air pollution.

More than 1 million people a year die from chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) that develop
due to exposure to such indoor air pollution.

Both women and men exposed to heavy indoor smoke are 2-3 times more likely to develop COPD

Common indoor air pollutants include:

Tobacco smoke:

This is smoke burning cigarettes or exhaled smoke by people smoking.

Biological Pollutants:

These include allergens such as pollen from plants, hair from pets, fungi and some bacteria.

Radon:

This is a gas that is naturally emitted from the ground. Radon can be trapped in basements of building
and homes. The gas is known to cause cancer after exposure over a period.

Carbon Monoxide:

This is a poisonous gas with no color or smell. Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil,
coal or wood do not burn fully.