Wood burning and air pollution

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

As we enter into the winter months…some Utahn’s begin to put wood in their fire place or a wood burning stove to generate heat, or just for the ambiance of a wood burning fire.  But some are asking…what’s the impact those wood fires are having on the air we breath?

“We found that if there’s really one specific pinpoint polluter, that we can solve the problem, it’s wood burning,” said former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson, who now is the Executive Director of UCAIR.

During bad air quality days wood burning is against the law, except for those who rely on it as their only source of heat.  New guidelines are being considered to puff out Utah’s wood burning pollution altogether.

“We know that there are two reasons to do this.  One is that wood burning of course impacts the overall regional air quality.  But also it particularly impacts local neighborhoods,” said Bryce Bird who is the Director of Utah Division of Air Quality.

For many people it isn’t an issue…but for children…the elderly…and those with medical conditions, it can lead to all kinds of health consequences like coughing, headaches, eye and throat irritation, asthma attacks and even heart attacks and strokes.

“So the person that’s burning the wood is getting exposed to a greater extent, and the neighbors who live close by are getting exposed to a greater extent.  And we know that the child who has asthma, that can’t go out and play, is being impacted by somebody burning in the neighborhood,” said Bird.

Up to 70 percent of the wood smoke that exits a chimney, will re-enter nearby homes.

“One fire burning for an hour, an average size home fire, running for an hour equals four diesel trucks running for the same hour,” said Wilson.

“For every hour 90 SUV’s drive, that’s about one hour of burning a wood burning appliance,” said Bird.

The particulates in wood smoke are tiny and even doors and windows cannot keep them out.  The pollution from just one wood burning stove is equal to the amount emitted from 3,000 gas furnaces.

“We know that wood burning made a lot of sense in our valley for a long time.  But once we get a large population center where we get many people burning in a neighborhood, or in an area, we know that it impacts air quality.  And maybe it’s just time to look at other options, and that’s what we are really opening right now is the dialogue,” said Bird.

While UCAIR works closely with partner organizations, it also seeks community involvement to find solutions to our air quality challenges.

Wilson says it may be tempting during the holidays to fire up the fireplace, but asks that we consider the impact it will have on the air.

“During the inversion, even if it’s Christmas Eve, it might be a good idea to think twice about burning wood.”

To get involved and learn more about UCAIR, visit them at http//:ucair.org

via Wood burning and air pollution – Good4Utah.com.

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Air quality worst at night, early morning

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Delhiites may be exposed to the worst air pollution at night and early morning, indicates a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). CSE chose eight persons and monitored their exposure to pollution for 24 hours using a portable device. It also found that situation in the Lutyens’ zone, where the rich and the powerful reside, is no better despite the greenery and sparse traffic.

The study found PM 2.5 (fine, respirable particulate) levels to be the highest at night and during hours when these people go for morning walk. In some cases, even indoor air quality was extremely poor.

The study involved monitoring the personal exposure of Bhure Lal, chairperson, Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), a resident of Lodhi Estate, Harish Salve, senior Supreme Court advocate who lives in Vasant Vihar, Ashok B Lall, architect and resident of Civil Lines, Randeep Guleria, head of pulmonary medicine department at AIIMS, William Bissel, head of Fabindia and resident of Hauz Khas enclave. The group also had people who suffer from asthma—Bharati Chaturvedi who lives in Ravindra Nagar in central Delhi, head of Chintan, Kaushik Das Gupta, a journalist and Avikal Somvanshi, a research professional and cyclist.

The 24-hour average exposure of each individual was compared with the readings of the nearest monitoring station of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) which revealed that the real exposure levels were much higher than the official figures. Lal who lives in Lodhi Estate was monitored on November 12 to 13. The hourly average PM 2.5 level was the highest between 5.50am and 6.50am—at 1195.83 microgram per cubic metre. It was the time when he had gone for a walk in Lodhi Garden. To be doubly sure about pollution levels in Lodhi Garden, the CSE team monitored him again on December 8-9 when levels were found to be 672 microgram per cubic metre, still alarmingly high.

But on warm and sunny days PM 2.5 levels seem to improve. On December 2 for instance, Dr Guleria’s 24-hour average exposure was 188 mg per cubic metre, about three times the safe standard.

The hourly average near the President’s Estate between 8 and 9 am was 1,029 mg per cubic metre. Salve who lives near the Outer Ring Road and the Ridge in Vasant Vihar was exposed to the highest PM 2.5 level between 10 and 11pm on November 25 to 26 at 408 mg per cubic metre. The levels remained high through the night.

Asthmatics are already facing a tough winter. “I was having breathing problems. Doctors recently told me I am borderline asthmatic and may get better if I am in a city with lower pollution levels,” he said. Sunita Narain, director general of CSE, said she had stopped going for morning walks.

“Our data shows that for a couple of years after introducing CNG the pollution levels had stabilized, but they started to rise steeply with the increase in the number of vehicles. Our soft options are over, we need tough measures now,” Narain said.

via Air quality worst at night, early morning – The Times of India.

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Air pollution advisory posted for southern Minnesota through the weekend

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Relatively warm, moist weather conditions led the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Thursday to post an air pollution health advisory for the southern half of Minnesota running through early Sunday morning.

An advisory means conditions are approaching unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. It is one step short of an alert.

The moist air is trapping pollution close to the ground, which is elevating levels of fine particle pollution, said Rebecca Place, MPCA’s air quality index coordinator.

“It’s caused by vehicle exhaust or burning wood. They’re very small particulates in the air and they can get into your lungs and cause respiratory problems,” she said.

People with heart disease and lung disease may experience worsening health problems during an air pollution advisory.

If the MPCA upgrades its advisory to an alert, the list of sensitive populations will expand to include young children and elderly adults.

via Air pollution advisory posted for southern Minnesota through the weekend | Minnesota Public Radio News.

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Scientists warn ‘traffic pollution aggravates health conditions’

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Obese people and those suffering heart disease, or diabetes should stay indoors during rush hour because of traffic fumes, doctors warn.Pollution not only aggravates existing conditions but has been found to contribute to the cause of these diseases, they said.This is because air pollution exacerbates the development of high blood pressure and impaired insulin sensitivity, which are both risk factors for obesity and diabetes.They also recommended people with asthma, infants and the elderly should avoid pollution hotspots.Doctors should start routinely advising people in these at-risk groups to avoid pollution, they said.

The experts from the European Society of Cardiology also called for a decrease in the use of fossil fuels.

Professor Robert Storey, from Sheffield University, said: ‘More than three million deaths worldwide are caused by air pollution each year.

‘Air pollution ranks ninth among the modifiable disease risk factors, ahead of low physical activity, high sodium diet, high cholesterol and drug use.’

There is now ‘ample’ evidence air pollution is associated with long term illness and death from cardiovascular diseases, he said.

He added: ‘It not only makes existing heart conditions worse but also contributes to development of the disease.

‘Avoiding air pollution where possible may help to reduce cardiovascular risk and cardiologists should incorporate this information into lifestyle advice for their patients.

He said: ‘We also need to increase pressure on policy makers to reduce levels of air pollution.

‘Air pollution should be considered one of the major modifiable risk factors to prevent and manage cardiovascular disease.

‘Individuals, especially those with or at risk of cardiovascular disease, can take measures to reduce their exposure and doctors should include these in lifestyle advice.

HOW TO AVOID POLLUTION

People with obesity, diabetes and heart disease should stay at home during rush hour to avoid traffic fumes, doctors have warned.

This advice extends to asthmatics, infants and the elderly.

People should avoid walking and cycling along busy roads, exercise in parks away from traffic and avoid busy times.

The recommendations came from doctors from the European Society of Cardiology.

To avoid pollution from outdoors seeping indoors, they recommended people could invest in  ventilation systems with filtration for their homes.

They also called on policymakers to reduce levels of air pollution, and back this up with legislation.

‘Policy makers urgently need to reduce levels of air pollution and this should be backed up by legislation.’

A third of Europeans who live in urban areas are exposed to air pollution levels above European Union standards, the experts warned.

But the World Health Organisation, who use more stringent criteria to calculate the number of people affected by pollution, say nearly nine out of 10 Europeans are being exposed to a level of pollution that damages health.

Infants, the elderly and people with cardio-respiratory disorders should avoid walking and cycling along busy roads, exercise in parks away from traffic and avoid busy times.

Those at risk should also ensure they always have their medication with them.

But outdoor air pollution seeping into homes is still a problem, they warned.

Most exposure typically occurs indoors, so experts recommend ventilation systems with filtration for homes in high pollution areas.

Professor Storey added: ‘Policy makers have an important role to reduce outdoor pollution in order to limit indoor pollution where much of the exposure occurs.

‘Apart from reducing their personal contributions to outdoor pollution, there is not much that individuals can do about this unless they invest in systems to filter the air they breathe indoors.

‘Moving away from the use of fossil fuels for energy production will result in major benefits to human health, both from reduced exposure to air pollution and from mitigation of climate change.’

The paper was published in the European Heart Journal.

via Scientists warn ‘traffic pollution aggravates health conditions’ | Daily Mail Online.

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Air Pollution Analyzed at India’s Taj Mahal

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

The discoloration of the Taj Mahal, a seventeenth-century mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is caused by airborne carbon particles and dust, according to a study conducted by scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur, the Archaeological Survey of India, and the University of Wisconsin. The scientists took air samples at the site, and placed pieces of marble near the main dome. After two months, the samples were collected and analyzed with an electron microscope. “Our team was able to show that the pollutants discoloring the Taj Mahal are particulate matter: carbon from burning biomass and refuse, fossil fuels, and dust—possibly from agriculture and road traffic. We have also been able to show how these particles could be responsible for the brownish discoloration observed,” said Michael Bergin of Georgia Tech. The monument is routinely cleaned with clay to maintain the brightness of the marble, but until now, there had not been a systematic study of the causes of the discoloration. “Some of these particles are really bad for human health, so cleaning up the Taj Mahal could have a huge health benefit for people in the entire region,” Bergin added. To see photographs of another iconic Indian site, see “The Islamic Stepwells of Gujarat.”

via Air Pollution Analyzed at India’s Taj Mahal – Archaeology Magazine.

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China Today: Xingtai, one of the world’s most polluted cities

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Xingtai, China

While toxins belch from power plants, children in nearby Beijing compare brands of mask

Based on the most reliable air-pollution index in China, the country’s most polluted city is Xingtai, one of the oldest cities in northern China, with a history stretching back 3,500 years.

It was a major city during the Shang dynasty, two millennia before the birth of Christ. These days it is a friendly, but hopelessly smog-clouded, heavy-industrial city in Hebei province.

A photograph of a couple wearing masks playing ping-pong in the thickest smog you can imagine is one of the defining images of China’s war against pollution in recent years. A war it appears to be losing.

Seven cities in Hebei are numbered among the 10 worst polluted in China, including Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Handan, Tangshanand unlucky old Xingtai, meaning that they are also some of the most polluted cities in the world.

The situation in the air is bad enough, but what’s in the soil and the water is equally worrying.

Xingtai has a population of around seven million people and is 396 kilometres from Beijing. The air tastes of petrol here, even on a relatively clear day.

Since October 16th, a citizen group in Xingtai has run the Xingtai Anti-Pollution Campaign, and in one month it has brought 22 criminal cases against companies it suspects of polluting. Twenty-three people have been arrested.

The lobby group was alerted to three major complaints: one against a company that plates surfaces with metal, which leaked toxic waste into underground water; one against a plastics plant that leaked chemicals into groundwater; and a third against a company that transported dangerous chemicals into another province where disposal fees were cheaper.

Xingtai is also home to Jizhong Energy Resources, which operates coal mines to feed coal power plants that are choking the north China plain. This grim facility, which is actually a cluster of plants and mines, is one of the most heavily polluting factories on the planet.

People in Xingtai are desperate.

Writing on the Sina Weibo network, Shanzhilian 68 called for a boycott of industrial products from Hebei. “Give us back the blue sky. What is the Xingtai mayor doing? We should limit the production or stop production from the factories here. It makes me want to cry when I see on [state broadcaster] CCTV that Xingtai is the most polluted city in China.”

Another online commenter, Xioneweilong, said the pollution was having serious health effects: “In this polluted weather, most of the children in the hospital have tuberculosis. Please get the polluted factories out of Xingtai.”

Beijing’s proximity to the industrial heartland of Hebei province is often given as the reason why pollution is so bad in the capital. In the early winter, the coal-fired power plants start cranking up production to meet increased demand for heating, and the skies turn a yellow-tinged grey.

Poor position

Hebei has very little rain, so the cities of Handan, Shijiazhuang, Baoding and, of course, Xingtai are all in a poor position regarding the flow of air. They all lie east of the Taihang Mountains, and Xingtai is the worst-placed.

continue reading China Today: Xingtai, one of the world’s most polluted cities.

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London will follow Paris and ban diesel cars, campaigners warn

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Pollution is so high in the capital, and diesel fumes so damaging, experts believe Boris Johnson will follow Paris’ lead and ban the cars from London’s roads within the decade

London will follow Paris and introduce an outright ban on diesel cars which are causing “serious health damage” in the capital, campaigners warn.
The Mayor of Paris has announced radical plans to ban diesel cars from the French capital by 2020 due to concerns about how much pollution the cars cause.
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, is also grappling with the issue of how to tackle pollution from the fuels fumes which contain tiny particles and nitrogen oxides and have been increasingly proven to be seriously damaging to health.
France, which has the highest number of diesel cars on the road, will now ban the cars out right with Anne Hidalgo, the Parisian Mayor pledging “an end to diesel in Paris in 2020”.
She also said the city would have more semi-pedestrianised areas with special zones introduced at weekends.

Boris Johnson currently plans to raise the congestion charge for diesel cars by £10 in a move to cut air pollution.

The change would mean diesel drivers could have to pay a total of £20 to get into Central London.

Under the plans petrol cars registered before 2006 would also have to pay extra under the plans which the Mayor wants in place by 2020.

However campaigners say this will not be enough and London will still be following the Parisian example with an outright ban.

Stephen Joseph, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “I think the motor industry is wholly unprepared for the way in which the science is turning against diesels. The sciences is hardening up and it is showing different and serious health damage which is a really serious problem.

“All this emerging science I was going to have wide ranging ramifications, both in terms of the kind of cars we drive and where they are driven.

“London is very polluted and busy. Where Paris goes London won’t be far behind – London is already talking about an ultra low emission zone, banning all sorts of diesel vehicles, this is not unlikely that they will banned altogether in the same way Paris has done.”

In Britain, about 29,000 premature deaths a year are thought to be caused by air pollution and people living in London, Birmingham and Leeds will be exposed to dangerous air pollution from engine fumes until the 2030s unless stricter rules are imposed, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Earlier this year Mr Johnson’ Mayor’s senior advisor for environment and energy Matthew Pencharz, said: “When it comes to tackling London’s air pollution. and protecting the health and well-being of all Londoners, diesel cars are an issue which must be addressed.

“Over recent years the Euro diesel engine standards have not delivered the emission savings expected, yet governments have been incentivising us to buy them. This has left us with a generation of dirty diesels.”

“Cllr Caroline Russell, Green Party Local Transport spokesperson, said: “This is the third EAC report in five years and scandalously there has been no government action since the last report in 2011.

“Quite clearly our health is being severely damaged by exposure to polluted air caused by traffic emissions particularly from diesel vehicles.”

“The hand wringing has to stop. We need brave political action to tackle our over-dependence on motorised private transport. That means investing seriously in public transport, scrapping the proposed new roads and ensuring that everyone has access to safe convenient networks of walking and cycling routes.”

via London will follow Paris and ban diesel cars, campaigners warn – Telegraph.

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Pittsburgh shows inhabitants what air pollution looks like

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Concerned citizens in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have banded together to form the Breathe Project, which enables Internet users to view the polluted air for themselves on a webcam in the hopes they’ll be inspired to take action.

Four cameras have been placed in the downtown area and the corresponding webcam — called the Breathe Cam, which went live on Wednesday of last week — displays data showing the concentration of various types of particles and sulfur dioxide in the immediate area.

A library of information about air pollution is conveniently situated on the site, as are recent headlines concerning it.

The site also helps individuals and corporations to take action in the fight for clean air.

Individuals are encouraged to do a home energy audit, which is the first step in reducing how much energy the home consumes and thus diminishing its carbon footprint.T

hey’re also advised to invest in clean energy projects that install and manufacture items such as windmills and solar panels.

According to the Breathe Project, Pittsburgh ranks among the 10 per cent of US cities with the highest air pollution levels, despite considerable improvements since the middle of the 20th century, when Pittsburgh’s air was notoriously thick.

Crowd-sourcing has given way to innovative new ways of educating the public about air pollution.

For example, AirBeam is a wearable tracker that informs users about the quality of the air around them and provides educational information on its corresponding app in addition to helping users get involved on a political level to help clean the air.

via Pittsburgh shows inhabitants what air pollution looks like | CTV News.

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