Respro® Bulletin Board

Air pollution at record levels in North Pole Monday

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

A North Pole monitoring station recorded a record bad air day Monday, based on the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s preliminary data.

As an inversion continued to trap cold and polluted air in the Tanana Valley Monday, the air quality was particularly bad in North Pole where concentrations crossed into what the borough considers the “very unhealthy” range.

The 24-hour average for Monday hit a concentration of 169 micrograms per cubic meter of air, a record since the borough began monitoring air quality at the Hurst Road fire station in 2012, said borough Air Quality Manager Ron Lovell. That number is nearly five times the 35 microgram limit set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The measurement is preliminary because the accuracy of the reading still must be confirmed, a process that takes about a month, he said. Sensors are more likely to give inaccurate readings on cold days, which also tend to be the worst pollution days.

If confirmed, Monday’s reading would break North Pole’s 158 microgram bad air day record from Nov. 25, 2012.

Air quality has also been bad in downtown Fairbanks, but it’s in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range rather than the “unhealthy” range.

That’s been the general pattern this year. The 24-hour average in North Pole has exceeded the EPA standard 30 times this winter. In Fairbanks, it has exceeded it twice this year — Sunday and Monday, Lovell said. Air quality has improved slightly since Monday, but remains “unhealthy” in North Pole and “unhealthy for sensitive groups” Tuesday afternoon. Based on the weather forecast, poor air quality conditions are expected to continue into Friday, Lovell said.

via Air pollution at record levels in North Pole Monday – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Local News.

Posted in Air Quality, USA & Canada | Tagged Air Pollution, Alaska, Fairbanks, Inversion, North Pole, USA | Leave a comment

11th Spare the Air day declared for Tuesday

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

A Winter Spare the Air alert announced for Tuesday is the Bay Area’s 11th of the season.

During such alerts, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District bans the burning of wood, manufactured fire logs and other solid fuels for 24 hours, both indoors and out.

A high pressure weather system is in place over the Bay Area, resulting in cold, calm weather, along with poor air quality this weekend, the district said. As air pollution accumulates in the region, air quality is forecast to be unhealthy for the second day in a row.

It is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to use their fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other wood-burning devices during a winter Spare the Air alert. Homes without permanently installed heating, where wood stoves or fireplaces are the only source of heat, are exempt.

In the winter, wood smoke from the 1.4 million fireplaces and wood stoves in the Bay Area is the single largest source of air pollution, according to the district, contributing about one-third of the harmful fine particulate pollution in the air.

One fireplace burning can pollute an entire neighborhood. Exposure to wood smoke — like cigarette smoke — has been linked to serious respiratory illnesses and even increased risk of heart attacks. Breathing fine particulate accounts for more than 90 percent of premature deaths related to air pollution.

First-time violators will be given the option of taking a wood smoke awareness class, online or by mail, to learn about the hazards of wood smoke pollution in lieu of paying a $100 ticket. Second violations will result in a $500 ticket, and subsequent ticket amounts will be higher.

The public must check before it burns during the winter Spare the Air season, which runs from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28. The daily burn status can be found on the air quality district’s websites —BAAQMD.gov, or SpareTheAir.org — or via the toll-free hotline 877-4-NO-BURN (complaints can also be filed via the hotline).

Residents may sign up for AirAlerts at SpareTheAir.org or by phone at 800-430-1515, or via the Spare the Air iOS and Android apps for smartphones and tablets.

via 11th Spare the Air day declared for Tuesday.

Posted in Air Quality, USA & Canada | Tagged Air Pollution, Air Quality Management District (AQMD), Bay Area, California, Napa Valley, Spare the Air, USA, wood burning | Leave a comment

What you need to know about Utah’s air quality

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

We all know that an inversion traps haze and bad air, but what causes it? What exactly are we breathing in? Bryce Bird, The Air Quality Director of the Department of Environmental Quality explains more about Utah’s air.

DEQ’s mission is to safeguard public health and our quality of life by protecting and enhancing the environment. We implement State and federal environmental laws and work with individuals, community groups, and businesses to protect the quality of our air, land and water.

The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has developed, with public input, a new air quality alert system to better communicate the complex health implications and activity restrictions based on real-time pollution monitoring data.

Solid fuel burning devices must not be used. Open burning may not occur; including fire pits, fire rings, and campfires. Reduce vehicle use by consolidating trips. Industry should optimize operating conditions to minimize air pollution emissions.

There are many things we can do collectively to help improve both indoor and outdoor air quality. You can also take a look at our Summer and Winter suggestions.

Indoor Air Quality is often described as being healthier than outdoor air quality. On some days this might be true, but there are still issues to be aware of regrading indoor air quality.

Sometimes during winter months, a layer of cold air is confined within the Wasatch Front valleys by the surrounding mountains. Above the cold, dense layer is warm air. This inversion acts much like a lid, trapping pollutants within the cold air.

Proper insulation, storm windows, and weatherizing are your first steps in winter home energy conservation. These measures reduce the amount of heat necessary to keep your home warm. The less wood burned, the less pollution generated.

The Division of Air Quality continues to be committed to improving Utah’s air quality. Historically, we’ve been able to meet the challenges of tougher federal standards to help Utahns breathe easier and live healthier.

This past year, we saw significant progress with a range of emission reduction initiatives. By partnering with other state agencies and industry, the Division of Air Quality’s Utah Clean Diesel Program expanded its retrofits of old school buses to include farm equipment and engines. And most recently, with the receipt of an EPA grant, we will be working to re-power diesel delivery trucks with new natural gas engines. We continue to develop common-sense solutions to meet EPA’s stronger standards for ozone and particulate pollution so that all Utahns in every part of our great state can breathe easier and live healthier.

via What you need to know about Utah’s air quality – Good4Utah.com.

Posted in Air Quality, USA & Canada | Tagged Air Pollution, Air Quality, Inversion, USA, Utah | Leave a comment

Inversion causes poor air quality in Treasure Valley

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

The inversion is causing some air quality issues in the Treasure Valley and it’s not expected to move out for a few days.

Air quality experts are recommending that certain groups limit their time outdoors.”No wind, no moisture, just kind of sitting here in that stagnant funk,” said Michael Toole, regional airshed coordinator for The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

DEQ has issued an orange air quality alert. That means the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing heart or respiratory conditions should spend limited time outside.

“The air quality is deteriorating a little more. The pollution is a little higher,” said Toole. “Limit your outdoor activity as much as possible. Limit the exposure, especially those sensitive groups.”The inversion acts like a cap, trapping pollution in the valley. But if you want to breathe some fresh air, you have at least one option.

KTVB found some people heading up Bogus Basin Road to check out the inversion from above.”It’s really pretty,” said Bethany Barndollar who’s visiting Idaho from California.

She was headed to check out conditions at Bogus Basin when she decided to pull over and snap some pictures of the inversion.”You can see how it just settles right over the city like that,” she added.

Meanwhile, DEQ officials are reminding people in the Treasure Valley to be safe as the inversion continues.”It looks like we’re pretty socked in right now. It’s strengthened significantly and we’re going to be in the orange for the next few days,” said Toole.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality will be keeping an eye on conditions as this inversion continues.A burn ban is in effect for the Treasure Valley because of the poor air quality. Experts also recommend limiting your driving, if you can, to reduce air pollution.

via Inversion causes poor air quality in Treasure Valley.

Posted in Air Quality, USA & Canada | Tagged Air Pollution, Code Orange, Idaho, Inversion, The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Treasure Valley, USA | Leave a comment

Researchers link air pollution to heart diseases

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Responsible for 400,000 deaths each year globally, air pollution has yet to be sufficiently addressed by the world’s governments, researchers have warned. EurActiv France reports.

Air pollution damages the heart. According to an expert position paper published in the European Heart Journal, many types of cardiovascular disease are linked to poor air quality.

Not only does air pollution exacerbate existing heart problems, but it also appears to play a role in the development of heart disease in otherwise healthy people, the researchers said. There is particularly strong evidence of the harmful effects of suspended particles, as opposed to gas pollution, they said.

Air pollution is made up of thousands of different particles and gasses. Among the most important pollutants, from a health point of view, are particles in suspension and gasses like ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (like benzene), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). The burning of fossil fuels releases soot particles, nitrogen oxides and sulphur directly into the atmosphere. The main sources of NO2 are road traffic, power generation, industrial processes and domestic heating.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks heart disease as the world’s leading cause of premature death. In Europe alone cardiovascular diseases kill 4 million citizens every year, 1.9 million of which come from the EU, according to the European Society of Cardiology.

Air pollution, the leading environmental cause of death

Last November, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report indicating that air pollution was the leading environmental cause of death in urban Europe. “Almost all of the urban population is exposed to levels of pollutants considered dangerous by the WHO”.

Cardiovascular disease and heart attacks are the main causes of death due to air pollution (80%), before lung diseases and cancer, according to the EEA study. The document also states that nine out of ten inhabitants of Europe’s cities are forced to breathe air that contains the very pollutants responsible for 400,000 premature deaths every year.

This polluted air has been linked to coronary-artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia and cardiac arrest, cerebrovascular disease and arteriosclerosis.

Mounting expectation for public action

The European Heart Journal’s position paper calls for a redoubling of efforts to reduce exposure to atmospheric pollution through the implementation of appropriate and effective legislation.

The European Commission launched a Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution in 2005, in the hopes of achieving “levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on, and risks to human health and environment”. A newair quality directive, adopted three years later, modified the legislation to bring pollution down to levels that would reduce the harmful effects on human and environmental health, whilst improving public information on the risks of poor air quality.

But the mood changed radically with the arrival of the new Juncker Commission in 2014. In December, Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans announced that the planned updates to European rules on air pollution were to be scrapped, provoking anger from environmentalists, who accused the Commission of capitulating to pressure from business leaders.

via Researchers link air pollution to heart diseases | EurActiv.

Posted in Air Quality, Health Effects of Air Pollution | Tagged Air Pollution, Carbon Monoxide CO, European Environment Agency (EEA), Health Effects of Air Pollution, Nitrogen Dioxide NO2, Ozone O3, Research, Sulfur Dioxide SO2, World Heath Organization (WHO) | Leave a comment

Oxford Street already breaches 2015 air pollution limit

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Hourly mean for levels of NO2 on busy shopping street have been breached on 19 occasions in 2015 so far

Busy shopping destination Oxford Street in London has after only five days exceeded national allowances for levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution that are set for the whole of 2015.

According to the King’s College London’s (KCL) air quality monitoring statistics, Oxford Street has exceeded the hourly nitrogen dioxide mean objective of 200ug3 (microgrammes per cubic metre) on 19 occasions so far this year.

Oxford Street in London has some of the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide in the UK
However, the national and legal objective for nitrogen dioxide states that the hourly mean should not be exceeded on more than 18 occasions in one year.

KCL monitors air pollution levels at around 120 sites in London, but Oxford Street is the only site to have breached the national hourly mean objective for nitrogen dioxide so far this year.

And, in 2014, meanwhile, KCL’s London Air website shows that the hourly mean objective for nitrogen dioxide on Oxford Street was exceeded on 1,361 occasions.

Only Brixton Road in South London exceeded the hourly limit on more occasions last year, with 1,732 breaches recorded in 2014.

Hourly limit

Monitoring sites on Brixton Road and on Putney High Street (currently on zero and 10 exceedances so far this year respectively) and are also expected to breach the number of hourly mean exceedances for nitrogen dioxide for the whole of 2015 in the coming weeks.

Founder and director of campaign group Clean Air in London, Simon Birkett, said: “Clean Air in London estimates that Oxford Street breached the nitrogen dioxide hourly limit value for the whole of 2015 on 2 January. Putney High Street is expected to breach on 5 January. Brixton Road will breach soon.”

It comes as the London Mayor’s 11-week consultation over plans for an ultra low emission zone in the centre of the capital from 2020 comes to a close on Friday (January 9) – proposals which Mr Birkett criticised for being “too small, too weak and too late”.

In December, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also called for a “more ambitious” ULEZ, but the Mayor – Boris Johnson – believes that the planned zone is “an essential measure to improve London’s air quality and reduce NO2”.

via Oxford Street already breaches 2015 air pollution limit | AirQualityNews.

Posted in Air Quality, Europe, London, UK | Tagged Air Pollution, Boris Johnson, Brixton, King's College London, London, London Mayor, Nitrogen Dioxide NO2, Oxford Street, Putney, UK, Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) | Leave a comment

Air pollution to be severe in central, southern Taiwan: EPA

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Central and southern parts of Taiwan are expected to suffer poor air quality through Tuesday due to a high concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said Saturday.

In particular, low-lying areas across Yunlin and Chiayi counties and Tainan could be the hardest-hit, with the level of particles 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter (PM2.5) coming in as high as 9 on the 10-point scale over the next few days, the EPA said.

Northern Taiwan could also experience a pollution level of up to 7 on Tuesday, the EPA said.

The EPA advised the elderly and people with chest, heart or allergy problems to avoid outdoor activities.

People with asthma may also need to use their inhalers more often during the period of high air pollution, the EPA said.

via Air pollution to be severe in central, southern Taiwan: EPA | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN – CNA ENGLISH NEWS.