Over 40,000 Poles die from air pollution each year

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Tens of thousands of people in Poland die from causes directly related to air pollution every year.

The main source of the illnesses is the burning of coal in domestic fireplaces, the Rzeczpospolita daily wrote on Thursday.

The number of victims who die from pollution in Poland is more than ten times higher than victims of road accidents, who amount to more than 3,000 people.

According to experts from the Warsaw University of Technology, the main sources of air pollution in Poland are heating systems in houses and old buildings.

These are responsible for nearly 90 percent of the PM10 and PM2.5 pollutants in Poland, and nearly 100 percent of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) pollution which has carcinogenic properties.

In early October, President of Poland Andrzej Duda signed the so-called “anti-smog” law, marking the culmination of a long-running campaign by environmentalists.

Source: Over 40,000 Poles die from air pollution each year – National

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Expanding pedestrian zones can solve Hong Kong’s congestion and air pollution problems 

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Hong Kong has earned a reputation as an international city with high living standards. However, it continues to be affected by high air pollution levels, congestion, and an overall lack of space. Property consultant Knight Frank suggests that expanding the tram network and pedestrianisation can solve this.

According to the Government, trams provide frequent and affordable services without roadside emissions on Hong Kong Island for approximately 180,000 passengers per day. While only a small portion of the population, many are in the city’s lowest income group. Trams are primarily used for their practical value. The tramway system in Hong Kong began in the early 1900s. After more than 110 years of service, there are now 163 tramcars in Hong Kong, making it the world’s largest double-deck tram fleet still in operation.

Though seen as part of Hong Kong’s heritage, trams can be recognised as transportation for the future. New tram networks have been developed to great success all over Europe, as well as in major Chinese cities such as Shenyang, Suzhou, Beijing, Nanking, and Shenzhen. Hong Kong’s latest tramcars use aluminium for their structure, making them lighter and more durable. This improves energy efficiency. The new engines save up to 25 per cent of energy compared with older engines, with safety improvements added as well. Less noise is generated for more passenger comfort.

As for congestion, new roads won’t work. In fact, evidence shows that taking roads away is what increases quality of life in congested areas without causing traffic problems. Overseas cases demonstrate that 20 per cent to 60 per cent of traffic disappeared where roads were closed or traffic capacity reduced. More significantly, closures did not result in rerouting of traffic as in liquid form, but contracted as if traffic behaved as gas. Fifty years of successful pedestrianisation schemes in Europe show that significant amounts of traffic do not reappear after road closure. A more liveable and sustainable environment is created instead.

Hong Kong’s current vehicular pattern in Central is not sustainable. One might assume that pedestrianisation of a major road in Central will aggravate traffic conditions in the rest of the Central Business District, but the Occupy Central Movement proved the opposite. Commuters used more environmentally friendly modes of transport such as the MTR, bicycles or even walking instead.

Road transport and its associated emissions are major causes of environmental degradation in central urban areas. Transportation policy is therefore crucial for addressing public health concerns by improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emission. Pedestrianisation is shown to positively impact environmental conditions in core urban areas.

In 2009, a portion of Broadway in New York City was pedestrianised for 6 months. Pollutants closely related to traffic emissions including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) decreased by 63 per cent and 41 per cent respectively. Urban planners and environmental engineers were astounded. As a result of this success, the city government plans to expand the pedestrianised zone and create a permanent zone throughout Broadway.

Hong Kong’s Occupy Central Movement proved a link between roadside emission and the city’s air pollution. It also proved that pedestrianisation would significantly improve air quality. An air quality monitoring station at the Charter Road and Des Voeux Road Central junction recorded levels of 10/10 Air Quality Health Index before the Occupy Central Movement, and improved to 3/10 only three days into the movement. Clean Air Network measurements recorded an average PM2.5 level of 18 micrograms/m3 during the movement, which is far below World Health Organisation’s maximum safe standard of 25.

Studies also show positive economic returns from upgrading pedestrian infrastructure. Benefits include increased retail turnover, rental income and occupancy rate. Pedestrians can shop and view shop-windows more without vehicle safety concerns. Cities with pedestrianised districts attract tourists thanks to lower pollution, pleasant walking environments and amenities such as sidewalk cafes, fountains or other street furniture. These districts become popular destinations for the general public.

In New York, the provision of protected bike lanes at Union Square North led to a 49 per cent decrease in commercial vacancy rates. In Freiburg, Germany, the city centre has remained open only to pedestrians, trams, buses and cyclists since the 1980s. This enabled tram services to run through the commercial area without delay and become citizens’ preferred means of transport. The local economy also benefited, with rents of centrally located stores becoming among Germany’s highest. Since most of the city centre is a pedestrian area, 23 per cent of travelling in Freiburg is done on foot. In Hong Kong, research showed rental rates increasing by 17 per cent after pedestrian investments.

These types of adjustments, can help the Hong Kong Government’s Transport and Housing Bureau achieve major policy objectives. Objectives include promoting the use of public transport services by improving quality and coordination; effectively managing road use, reducing congestion and promoting safety; and continuously supporting environmental improvement measures in transport-related areas.

Source: Expanding pedestrian zones can solve Hong Kong’s congestion and air pollution problems | South China Morning Post

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Air pollution stunting children’s lungs, study finds

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

A six-year study finds children living in highly polluted parts of cities have up to 10 per cent less lung capacity than normal, with warnings the damage could be permanent

High levels of air pollution are stunting the growth of children’s lungs, a major study has found.

Eight and nine-year-olds living in cities with high levels of fumes from diesel cars have up to 10 per cent les lung capacity than normal, the research suggests.

Over six years, researchers examined the lung function of 2,400 children at 25 schools across east London, and found a direct correlation between air pollutant exposure and reduced lung growth.

Such children have an increased risk of disease such as asthma and bronchitis and, and the prospect of a permanent reduction in lung capacity.

The tests checked the volume of air each child could breathe, as well as levels of inflammation in their lungs, with urine tests to check for heavy metals, which are produced by vehicles.

Overall, those living in areas with high levels of particulates and nitrogen dioxide had up to 10 per cent reduced lung capacity the study led by Prof Chris Griffiths, principal investigator at the Medical Research Council and Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma.

“The data shows that traffic pollution stops children’s lungs growing properly,” Ian Mudway, a respiratory toxicologist at King’s College London told the Sunday Times.

“The evidence suggests that by 8-9 years old, children from the most polluted areas have 5 to 10 per cent less lung capacity and they may never get that back.”

The study was designed to assess the impact of London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) which since 2008 has discouraged larger diesel vehicles such as lorries from entering the capital.

The research found the measure had made no difference.

“It is very disappointing that the LEZ, which was specifically designed as a major public health intervention, has so far brought about no change,” said Prof Griffiths.

“This raises questions over the government’s current consultation on air quality, which is based around the idea of creating similar low emission zones in up to 30 other polluted urban areas. There appears to be no evidence that these low emission zones can reduce pollution or improve health.”

Other studies have shown diesel pollutants causing lung inflammation, researchers said, with tests showing black carbon from diesel exhaust emissions inside children’s lung cells.

Earlier this year research suggested that air pollution could increase the risk of brain damage and small strokes which are linked to dementia.

Environmental groups say diesel cars could be phased out as part of Government efforts to address pollution.

Source: Air pollution stunting children’s lungs, study finds – Telegraph

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Haze grounded flights in Langkawi; almost 3,000 people stranded, SE Asia News & Top Stories 

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Close to 3,000 people, mostly tourists, were stranded here as the haze grounded almost all flights to and from Langkawi International Airport for the past two days.

On Thursday morning (Oct 22), passengers of certain airlines were told the next available flights would be late Friday afternoon, and even then, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t be cancelled.

“We cannot give any estimates because we can’t predict the haze.

“We can only wait until visibility levels are safe, inform the airlines, and let them decide whether it’s safe to fly,” said airport manager Jefry Ramli.

Sandra Chu and Jimmy Cheung, both 49, from Hong Kong, spent two days waiting for replacement flights at the airport, and their rescheduled flight to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday was also cancelled.

They spent over HK$10,000 (S$1,799) on their trip to Pulau Langkawi, and have now been forced to forego most of the hotel stay and tour packages they’ve paid for in Kuala Lumpur

 

.”It’s a total loss,” said Cheung of the Kuala Lumpur leg of his holiday. “I never experienced anything like this. I don’t think I’ll ever come back here.”Frenchman Aoune Sane, 33, and his friends had to cancel their flights to Kuala Lumpur and Phuket, worth a total of €300 (S$465), due to the delay.

They finally decided to travel to Phuket by sea – a five-hour journey – in order to catch their flight back to Paris from Thailand.

Others desperate to get to the mainland had to take the ferry from Kuah Jetty to Kuala Perlis or Penang, and book land transport from there.

Airport and airline staff were doing their best to cope with the chaos caused by the haze.”Only a few have shouted at us, but that’s to be expected,” said AirAsia guest service assistant Mohd Azhar Saidan, who was in good spirits despite working 12-hour shifts for the past three days.

Jefry said the airport was also doing its best to help passengers.

Source: Haze grounded flights in Langkawi; almost 3,000 people stranded, SE Asia News & Top Stories – The Straits Times

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Smog In Korea 2015: Air Pollution From China Arrives Early In Seoul, Causing Dust Warnings

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

The annual autumn haze in South Korea has settled over Seoul earlier than usual this year.

For the fourth day in a row Thursday, officials issued a fine dust advisory and urged residents to stay indoors to avoid severe air pollution thought to be blown over from China, YTN reported. Conditions improved slightly as the week wore on, but the smog levels were still considered the worst yet this season.

The weather was nothing new: It happens every year when temperatures drop and the Chinese begin using fossil fuels to heat their homes, Chosun Media reported. Discharge from South Korea’s coal power plants contributes to the pollution. The fine dust particles from both sources get trapped in the air over Korea if there’s not strong winds to blow them out, but usually this doesn’t occur until November. The conditions coincided early, especially with no rain in the region.

Weather warnings began Monday, when the average concentration of particles was 93 micrograms per cubic meter in Seoul and 111 in Incheon, according to Chosun. AirNow’s Air Quality Index classifies anything under 50 as “good,” 51-100 as “moderate” and anything over 101 as “unhealthy.” Too much exposure can irritate people’s eyes, lungs and throats. By Thursday, Heungdeok-gu had reached levels up to 216 micrograms per cubic meter, causing the government to suggest young and elderly residents wear masks, Yonhap reported.

 

The haze was set to dissipate over the weekend, but it could kick up again later in the year. Overall, the air pollution could kill up to 2,800 people a year by 2021 if the problem is not tackled, according to previous International Business Times reporting.

“My bronchial tubes are in a weak condition, and my throat feels very bad when I am outside,” Kim Bo-yeon told Voice of America last year. “I’m worried about my health, so I bought masks and came out.”

Korea wasn’t the only area in Asia battling poor air conditions this month. Malaysia and Singapore have recently been forced to warn residents and close schools due to forest fires in Indonesia.

Source: Smog In Korea 2015: Air Pollution From China Arrives Early In Seoul, Causing Dust Warnings

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Putting a price on NOx health impacts

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

At the heart of the VW revelations are tests for exhaust emissions of nitrogen oxides. These are a family of pollutants that become dominated by nitrogen dioxide as they mix in the air, causing most UK cities and towns to exceed World Health Organisation guidelines.

Defra estimates that the UK death rate is 4% higher due to nitrogen dioxide pollution – around 23,500 extra deaths per year. This has a massive cost to society – around £13bn per year or 0.7% of our gross domestic product.

This is a lot of money, but what does it mean for the average driver? Assuming official exhaust test limits, a 10-year-old diesel car driven in a big city for the UK annual average mileage of 10,700 miles has a health impact of £196 per year. For the latest technology diesel, this should be £63.

However, the pollution from cars in the real world is very different to the official tests. In road tests a typical 10-year-old diesel car produces nearly four times more nitrogen oxides than expected – an annual health cost of around £790 for an extra car in a big city.

Latest technology diesel cars emit, on average, seven times their test emissions when used on the road – an annual health cost of around £440 for an extra car. For a modern petrol car it would be less than £35.

Location is important too: nitrogen dioxide exhaust in typical big cities causes five times as much harm as it does in the countryside.

Annual road tax is the same for diesel and petrol cars; zero to £255 depending on carbon dioxide emissions and not on health-harmful air pollution.

Source: Putting a price on NOx health impacts | Environment | The Guardian

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Heavy air pollution in 80% of Chinese cities: Greenpeace 

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Pollution in nearly 80 percent of Chinese cities surveyed by Greenpeace “greatly exceeded” national standards over the first nine months of this year, the advocacy group said on Thursday.

The average level of PM2.5 particulates — small enough to deeply penetrate the lungs — in the 367 cities tested was also more than four times the maximum recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), Greenpeace said.

Nearly 80 percent of the cities exceeded the national standard on PM2.5, which is significantly less strict than the WHO benchmark, despite an overall improvement from the same period last year.

Widespread use of coal for power generation and emissions from heavy industry regularly swathe Chinese cities in smog, linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year.

It is a major source of discontent with the ruling Communist party, who have announced measures such as moving power plants, but few expect rapid improvements.

Greenpeace said that average pollution levels were about 10 percent lower than the same period last year.

“Although we’re seeing gradual improvement, air pollution levels are still unhealthy and unsafe,” said Greenpeace East Asia Climate and Energy Campaigner Dong Liansai.

The most polluted cities were Kashgar and Hotan in China‘s northwestern Xinjiang region, and the northern industrial hub of Baoding.

Average PM2.5 readings across the surveyed cities was 47.2 micrograms per cubic metre. The WHO maximum for annual average exposure is 10 while China’s annual standard is 35.

Beijing’s average over the nine months was 72.1 while Shanghai’s was 50.4.

China’s capital ranked as one of the most polluted cities, despite factory closures to ensure blue skies for a massive military parade last month.

Locals dubbed the reprieve “parade blue” but Greenpeace said such short-term interventions had a “negligible effect on overall long term air quality”.

“Rather than temporary measures, we need a long term strategy and systemic change to China’s energy structure,” Dong added.

Greenpeace called for a cap on coal use to be included in China’s new five-year economic plan, currently being drafted by the ruling Communist party.

“A cap on coal consumption is critical for reducing air pollution and bringing back healthy, breathable air to our cities,” Dong said.

Last week a player at the China Open tennis tournament held in Beijing in thick haze said pollution had made him vomit, while fans wore face masks.

Source: Heavy air pollution in 80% of Chinese cities: Greenpeace – Yahoo News UK

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Glasgow’s Hope Street ranked second most polluted street in Scotland 

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

A street in the Edinburgh has been named Scotland’s most polluted, according to new figures.

The news comes as protesters who live around St John’s Road in Corstorphine move to oppose a new supermarket planed for the suburb.

Friends of the Earth Scotland said new government figures from Air Quality Scotland show that air pollution levels on the thoroughfare have worsened.

St John’s Road’s air pollution monitoring station recorded a Nitrogen Dioxide average level of 72 microgrammes per cubic metre in the first half of 2015, set against a 2011 figure of 65 a legal limit of 40.

The second most polluted street for the first six months of this year was Hope Street in Glasgow, which recorded average Nitrogen Dioxide levels of 60 microgrammes per cubic metre.

Edinburgh councillors are expected to determine a planning application for the new supermarket with car park on the corner of St John’s Road and Manse Road, in the heart of a problem zone.

The Corstorphine monitor recorded 35 pollution “spike” incidents between January and June, where pollution levels soared over 200 microgrammes per cubic metre in one hour.

More than 400 people objected to the proposal due to concerns over increased congestion, air pollution, and safety hazards to schoolchildren walking past the site on their way to Corstorphine Primary School.

Promoted storiesRecommended byEmilia Hanna, FoeS air pollution campaigner, said: “These results show that levels of air pollution, which were already at illegal levels, are reaching appalling new heights.

John’s Road is now Scotland’s most polluted road, and traffic congestion is the reason why.

“These worrying figures further the case for refusing planning permission for the supermarket.

“The developer’s plans would see 3000 new vehicle visits to heart of the Pollution Zone each day, worsening traffic congestion and further adding to the soaring levels of pollution.”

Becky Lloyd, a mother-of-two who heads up the Corstorphine Residents Action and Information Group, “These new pollution figures only go to show how critical the committee meeting decision will be.

“We trust the council will come to the same conclusion as residents and rule this development entirely inappropriate for the site.

“Corstorphine is saturated with supermarkets and there is no demand or need for another one.”

Lesley Hinds, Edinburgh transport and environment said: “As a city we recognise improving air quality as a challenge, and continue to work with partners to reduce emissions.

“We are aware that there are improvements which can be made to limit emissions across Edinburgh including at St John’s Road and Clermiston Road junction.”

She added: “Through implementation of the Local Transport Strategy and meetings of the city’s Air Quality Working Group we regularly review Air Quality Management Areas to assess pollution, in order to create a cleaner, greener city for everyone.”

A spokesman for Realis Estates said: “We have submitted a planning application for a new supermarket in Corstophine along with the necessary supporting documentation – including the findings of our own air quality specialist.

“It is anticipated that our application will be considered by the council when it meets next Wednesday and until the application has been determined it would be premature for us to say anything further at this stage.”

Source: Glasgow’s Hope Street ranked second most polluted street in Scotland (From Evening Times)

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