When will exhaust tests get real?

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Drivers of new cars have been finding that their fuel economy does not meet the manufacturer’s claims, but larger doubts are being raised about the official exhaust tests. We cannot expect these tests to match our own driving styles and the hills and junctions that we encounter every day, but vehicles should not be designed to pass official tests and then work differently on the roads.

Official tests are conducted in laboratories over a simulated route. Alternatively cars can be equipped with complex instruments connected to their exhausts and tested on real roads. Results from 97 journeys in 15 of the most modern diesel cars have been gathered by the International Council on Clean Transport. These cars met the latest European and US standards in lab tests but on the road they emitted, on average, seven times the nitrogen oxides compared with official tests; one car emitted 25 times. On the positive side, other exhaust gases have been well controlled, as have pollutants from petrol cars, but nitrogen oxides from diesels contribute to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) that is more than twice the EU and World Health Organisation limits in some UK cities. Nitrogen oxides also mix with other pollutants to form harmful airborne particulates and summer-time smog.

By relying on exhaust emissions controls to control urban NO2 our policy makers put all their eggs in one basket rather than controlling the growth in diesel vehicles or promoting walking and cycling. The proposed solution is not tighter limits but better tests. In the meantime we will be waiting longer for clean air in our cities.

via Pollutionwatch: When will exhaust tests get real? | Environment | The Guardian.

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Macon’s air pollution surge caused by African desert

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Georgia’s environmental regulators say a burst of air pollution found in Macon this summer came straight from Africa.

Unusual weather patterns forced a concentration of dust from the Sahara Desert into parts of Georgia, they say.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division filed paperwork Wednesday saying it plans to contest the readings with federal regulators because of the unusual nature of the pollution, which is termed an “exceptional event.

”The heavy pollution was detected in Macon’s Allied Industrial Park as well as locations in Albany. On July 1, Macon’s concentration of fine air particles, called PM2.5, was at 24.5 micrograms per cubic meter, below the 24-hour limit of 35. By the next day, however, Macon’s readings had increased nearly 60 percent, to 39.6 micrograms per cubic meter.

The state says that number is “exceptional due to natural uncontrollable and unpreventable circumstances.” Tropical Storm Arthur and a high-pressure ridge of air helped bring along the Saharan dust from Africa, into the Gulf of Mexico and then into the Southeast, the EPD’s documentation suggests. Testing showed unusual concentrations of silicon, a common element of sand.

The high readings were enough to push up the annual average. In the last three years, the average has been about 11 micrograms per cubic meter, or less than a third of the daily allowed rate. Macon exceeded that daily limit once each in 2012, 2013 and 2014, according to state data.

via State: Macon’s air pollution surge caused by African desert | Politics | Macon.com.

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Boris Johnson admits London’s Oxford Street is one of world’s most polluted

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Boris Johnson has been forced to accept that London’s Oxford Street has some of the worst air pollution in the world.

In an exchange of letters with the Environment Audit Committee (EAC) of MPs, the mayor said he now accepts scientific evidence from Britain’s leading air research group that the street has some of the world’s highest recorded levels of nitrogen dioxide.

The mayor of London had said in a Twitter exchange in July that it was a “ludicrous urban myth” that Britain’s premier shopping street was one of the world’s most polluted thoroughfares, saying that the capital’s air quality was “better than Paris and other European cities”.

This followed a presentation in June by King’s College London air researcher David Carslaw which questioned whether the hourly and annual average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution – mainly caused by diesel traffic – were the highest in the world. Carslaw’s slide had read: “Highest annual mean concentration and most hourly NO2 exceedences in the World? Highest in the (long) history of air pollution?”

But Johnson backed down this week following a letter from EAC chair Joan Walley, who sought assurance that King’s College funding would not be threatened by its pollution research. “We are not disputing King’s college data, but rather only asking only that in future more rigour will be applied to public statements,” Johnson wrote.

He also denied that King’s funding was threatened. “There is absolutely no threat, veiled or otherwise, to King’s College funding. The only reference to a threat has been made by a single anonymous source close to King’s who spoke to the Times. Greater London authority funding decisions are not influenced by King’s research”.

Since the Twitter exchange Johnson and Transport for London, the local government body responsible for most of the transport system in Greater London, has proposed what it calls “the world’s first ultra-low-emission zone (ULEZ)” which would come into effect in September 2020. It will require all vehicles entering it to comply with new emission standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM10) or pay a daily fine.

Transport for London, which has come under intense pressure from Europe, Westminster and campaigners to meet EU air pollution laws, expects the new zone to ensure that more than 80% of central London meets the nitrogen dioxide annual legal limits by 2020, as well as halve PM10 and NOx emissions. However, it has been criticised because EU legislation requires cities to meet NO2 limits by 2015.

A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said: “The mayor’s view has not changed. He has never disputed the King’s College data, but has always been clear that this data was taken out of context and misrepresented. The claim that Oxford Street is the most polluted in the world was erroneous and the mayor does not accept it. King’s College themselves agree that their data was misrepresented and reiterated this point to the London Assembly’s environment committee just last week.”

via Boris Johnson admits London’s Oxford Street is one of world’s most polluted | Environment | The Guardian.

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Review: Respro® Skins™

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

skins factor magRespro® has recently added a splash of colour to the cycling mask market with their new line of Skins™. You can either buy the Skin as a neoprene shell without valves and filter  and use it with your existing components, or alternatively you can buy the Skin fully assembled with neoprene shell, filter and Powa valves.

As a first-time wearer of a cycling mask, I found the experience generally a good one. My commute is about eight miles each way, and I generally switch between regular and faster speeds.

Although the mask does get sweaty, as to be expected with any mask, it fitted comfortably and didn’t affect my breathing.

In terms of the style of the Skin, it’s going to depend on your personal taste. If you’re already wearing a mask in a place such as London, where they are less commonly seen than in other parts of the world, then you think that the benefits are worth it.

In that case, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy sprucing it up with one of Respro®’s various colourful Skins™. And if you’re considering buying one for the first time and want something both practical and stylish, then Respro® Skins™ could be a great choice.

via Factor Magazine

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Air Pollution Set to Soar as Vehicle Population Grows Exponentially in Indian Cities

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

The vehicle population on Indian roads will increase air pollution three to five times over, says a report from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Under current trends of vehicle population, and existing fuel and emission standards, particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers will increase by a factor of three, while nitrous oxide emissions will rise by a factor of five.

The transport sector contributes about 15% to 50% of small particulates and is a dominant contributor to NOx emissions, says the report.

“In 1991, there were 20 million vehicles in India. The number had skyrocketed to 140 million in 2011, and by 2030, vehicle population is expected to reach a staggering 400 million. We need multiple strategies to bring regulatory agencies and the regulated communities together and provide incentives to reduce the pollution load,” said Mary Nichols, Chairman, CARB.

The new report titled ‘Options to reduce road transport pollution in India’ spells out ways for reducing emissions, the technologies available and governance issues that need to be urgently addressed to improve air quality in Indian cities.

These including upgrading fuel quality, tightening vehicle emission standards, shifting transport modes, promoting electric vehicles, etc.

Vehicular emissions contribute to particulate matter (PM 2.5) and to nitrogen oxides, NO and NO2 (NOx). These in turn react in the presence of sunlight to form ozone.

PM 2.5 is the dominant contributor to premature deaths and numerous other illnesses, followed by ozone and NOx, which also adversely impact crop yields, says the report.

Comparing the situation to California, which in the 60s had one of the highest air pollution levels in the world, the report notes how over the past 40-50 years, it has succeeded in reducing the levels of all air pollutions by 75% to 90% though a series of measures. In particular, it has significantly reduced black carbon and particulate pollutants from automobiles.

On the other hand, 80% of cities in India, which have comparatively fewer vehicles, have exceeded the ambient air quality standards prescribed by the Government of India.

The World Health Organization estimates that of the 67 risk factors studied in their Global Burden of Disease project, outdoor air pollution stood fifth in mortality and seventh in health burden in India, contributing to over 627,000 deaths and 17.7 million healthy years of life lost in 2010.

Transportation is also the fastest growing source of carbon emissions and accounted for about 2,300 megatons of CO2 in 2010. India’s transport emissions are predicted to go from about 70 megatons today to over 500 megatons by 2050.

An ITDP report had calculated that a shift from car-centric transport to one based on public transport, walking and cycling can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 1542 megatonnes (1700 megatons) by 2050.

via Air Pollution Set to Soar as Vehicle Population Grows Exponentially in Indian Cities.

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Air Pollution Set to Rise Drastically in Indian Cities

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

A new report today warned against vehicular pollution in the country, saying if the trend continues it will cause alarming rise of deadly Particulate Matter (PM), which is believed to pose the greatest health risk in the air.

“If the current trends of vehicle population, fuel and emission standards persist, PM 2.5 (PM particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres) emissions will increase by a factor of three, and those of NOx (one of a group of highly reactive gasses) will increase by a factor of five,” according to the report.

The report was prepared by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

According to the report, titled ‘Options to Reduce Road Transport Pollution in India’,the transport sector contributes about 15 to 50 per cent of PM 2.5 emissions in cities, and is a dominant contributor to NOx emissions.

The World Health Organization estimates that, of the 67 risk factors studied in its Global Burden of Disease project, outdoor air pollution was ranked 5th in mortality and 7th in health burden in India, contributing to over 6,27,000 deaths and 17.7 million healthy years of life lost in 2010.

The report establishes the scientific basis for reducing emissions, the technologies available, and governance issues that need to be urgently addressed to improve air quality.

The report comes at a time when the transport sector is experiencing significant growth in the country and vehicle population has grown seven-fold in the past two decades. It also presented city-wise contribution in emissions from the transportation sector.

Within the transportation sector, heavy-duty trucks are the largest black carbon (BC) emitters followed by bus, which is followed by three-wheelers. As for PM 2.5, heavy-duty trucks emit most followed by two-wheelers and then three-wheelers.

“City wise, transportation also stands as the largest emitter of PM2.5 in Bangalore (followed by Diesel Generator sets), Pune (followed by secondary formation) and Kanpur (followed by domestic),” it says.

Heavy-duty trucks are large sources of BC and PM2.5 in states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat as well as cities such as Delhi and Chennai. Two wheelers are the largest source of PM2.5 emission in Delhi.

The report says that drastic reduction (more than 90 per cent) of Particulate Matter (PM) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) from the transportation sector, primarily diesel vehicles and buses, will have the largest and most immediate beneficial impact on human health and food supply.

“More than 75 per cent of PM 2.5 particles (also known as aerosols in the climate literature) from diesel vehicles is black carbon aerosols (or particles), a major contributor to global warming and melting of Himalayan glaciers,” says the report.

It is expected to grow from 140 million in 2011 to about 400 million during the next two decades. “Clearly, Indian citizens are on the move and are prospering from the growth,” it said.

“But this growth will worsen the air pollution problem in India and will come at a huge cost to public health and crop yields. It also has consequences to monsoon rainfall, Himalayan glaciers and regional climate,” it says.

PM 2.5 is the dominant contributor to premature deaths and numerous other illnesses, followed by Ozone and NOx, the other two major contributors to health impacts.

It says that drastic reductions in PM 2.5 and NOx emissions will also mitigate impacts of black carbon and nitrate aerosols (resulting from NOx) on precipitation and regional climate change. “It is a win-win action for all aspects of sustainability,” it added.

via Air Pollution Set to Rise Drastically in Indian Cities: Report.

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Meet the woman who is allergic to everything

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

EACH time mum-of-two Stephanie Thakrar leaves her house, she risks her life.

The 34-year-old has multiple allergies and suffers with severe anaphylaxis which means she can have an extreme reaction to an allergen being in the air rather than having to eat or touch it which means even a stroll to the shops could kill her.

She has gone into anaphylactic shock 10 times due to her allergies which are so sensitive that simply cutting pineapple, opening a packet of nuts or spraying beauty product in the same room as her could cause her airways to close.

It means she hates leaving her Southampton home which is tiled floor to ceiling and immaculately clean and she has to wear a mask and gloves to protect against her allergies which include fruit, dust, nuts, perfume, tanning of leather, rubber and latex.

Her husband and children have to wash before kissing her and she can no longer work to avoid symptoms which include heart palpitations, severe rashes and at worst being unable to breathe.

“I know for some people it’s a lot to take in: the woman who’s allergic to everything. There should be a bubble around me.

“Every day is a battle for me. It is like I have to fight to survive.

“When I do go out, I put myself at risk so now I don’t go out unless I have to. I am lucky I am not dead.

“Whether someone passes me wearing Lynx or perfume, I can’t breathe, or at friends’ houses a bit of Mr Muscle and you may as well phone the ambulance because I cannot breathe. I can’t control what’s in the air. I could die if my airways don’t open up again, I just hope they will.

“My house is my safe haven. It’s the safest place for me,” says Stephanie who has stayed in for the past three weeks on steroids after a severe reaction.

“How I describe it is that my daughter is into Toy Story and I am like the Woody doll with the pull string. When I have a reaction it’s like someone is sucking the life out of me. It is very frightening. You don’t know how a reaction will pan out.

“My allergies control my life.”

Stephanie’s allergic reactions have got progressively worse over the years – she has developed more allergies and now goes into anaphylactic shock more quickly.

But it wasn’t until 2007 she was diagnosed.

Previously medics put her severe symptoms down to eczema.

However she had a severe reaction to a nut and when she was rushed to hospital, she underwent a number of tests which revealed her numerous allergies.

“I don’t know how I survived child birth. I’ve been tested for everything and my hospital file is as big as an encyclopaedia. I’ve always used steroid creams because I used to get big boils on my hands but I didn’t realise I had so many allergies. It didn’t make sense all these years.

“I get it all – I feel like the Nutty Professor sometimes.”

Her allergies have become so extreme Stephanie was made redundant from her job as a family support worker for the NHS four months ago.

She says due to her allergies she was off sick 165 days out of 365 last year.

And now Stephanie who takes medication every day and constantly carries a medical kit and EpiPen to inject herself with adrenalin, fears she will never work again.

Even a trip to the supermarket where she has to religiously check each label on everything from toilet paper to kitchen cleaners is traumatic.

“I cry in the supermarket. Everyone stares at me and in the summer people point because I wear gloves and I have to wrap up. It makes me feel very self conscious.”

However for Stephanie it’s how her multiple allergies affect her personal relationships that gets her down the most.

If she is invited to a restaurant or social gathering, she has to call ahead to check the menus and ask if there will be any balloons or anything that may trigger an attack.

“I feel like I’m a burden to my family and I feel like I’m a burden to other people because your condition is affecting other people and how they want to live there life. Everything has to be checked.”

She cannot go into a hairdressers or beauty salon due to the products, has been forced to stand in the garden at friends when they have accidentally cooked food in the kitchen she is allergic to like green peppers and some restaurants have told her after she has supplied her list of allergies that she is too high risk to eat there.

“All the girly things, I can’t do any of it. It’s always feeling left out no matter what I’m doing.”

But for Stephanie it is how her allergies affect home life with her husband who is a self-employed tiler and two daughters aged 14 and eight which is devastating.

“There is no romance in this house. He comes in the house, has to brush his teeth, wash, strip off then it’s darling hi, kiss.

“That’s the thing nobody can come in and cuddle or kiss me, they might have eaten something or touched something I am allergic to and that could cause a reaction. I hate how I can’t kiss my husband and he can’t be impulsive.

“My husband has had to tie my hands when I have slept before because I’ve made myself bleed from scratching myself. He has to spray his deodorant outside, my daughters can’t paint their nails or spray anything.

“It’s not a life to have. I hate it. I hate how it controls everything.

“The hardest thing is I’ve had to tell my eight-year-old not to come near me at times, like when she has played with Loom bands or had a balloon, just so I can get home safely.

“My youngest watches Lego Ninjago and she said to me ‘I can get this special medicine that the ninja’s got mum and it will heal you and it could heal all the allergies’, I said ‘that would be amazing’ I feel like I am letting my family down.”

However Stephanie, who is supported by Allergy UK, is determined not to let her allergies ruin her life, and for her it’s important to laugh about it.

“I’ve started rollerbooting with my girlfriends because I can’t go to the gym and we do have a laugh. I’m there with my mask on and they say come on Hannibal Lecture, I can have a joke about it and I have to because otherwise I would be crying all the time.”

Now she hopes by telling her story more awareness is raised surrounding people with allergies.

She says latex alone “You should never judge a book by its cover. There’s a lack of understanding, lack of awareness and I hope by telling my story that changes. My life could be made a lot easier if attitudes changed.”

  • Allergy UK is the leading medical charity providing advice, information and support to those with allergies and food intolerances. For more information go to http://www.allergyuk.org or call 01322 619898.

via Meet the woman who is allergic to everything From Daily Echo.

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Apec: China blocks access to US air pollution data for Beijing

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

They banned the burning of funeral offerings, closed restaurants and factories, halted deliveries and took millions of cars off the roads. But Chinese leaders were unable to achieve blue skies for this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting in Beijing, with data from the US embassy showing air pollution at six times the World Health Organisation’s safe daily limit.

The one course of action left to officials? Denying access to the US data.

As global leaders tucked into their welcoming dinner, the US reading – still available on the embassy’s own website – was “very unhealthy”, with an air quality index reading of 203. It showed the concentration of PM2.5, the smallest particulate matter, at 153 micrograms per cubic metre. The WHO says the safe daily level is 25 micrograms.

But as the Washington Post reported, Smartphone apps and Chinese websites that normally included the US figures alongside official statistics, had the former removed, while the official Chinese feed crept up to 147 or “lightly polluted”.

An app that normally carries the US data showed steadily rising levels in the morning before switching abruptly at lunchtime to an implausible “0: excellent” reading.

On the beijing-air site a notice wished the Apec summit every success and read: “On the instructions of authorities, for this month’s air quality data, please refer to figures from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau”.

Chinese officials argue that the US measure cannot be regarded as accurate because it is based on a reading from a single spot in Beijing.

Even the 203 measure is unremarkable by the capital’s standards. October saw unusually noxious levels of pollution, with many people blaming increased production by factories which knew they would have to shut before Apec. Runners in the Beijing marathon participated in facemasks as the US embassy PM2.5 reading reached 344 micrograms per cubic metre.

The vice-premier, Zhang Gaoli, recently said that ensuring the air was clean for Apec was the “priority of priorities”.

Among residents, “Apec blue” has become slang for something enjoyable but short-lived or unreal. Some have joked that Apec stands for “Air Pollution Eventually Controlled” while others say the air in Beijing is normally so bad that “even Bpec or Cpec blue would be better than nothing”.

Weather is a major factor affecting smog levels in the Chinese capital. But the fact that such extensive measures have failed to eradicate the problem is an indicator of just how tough a long-term battle China faces as it seeks to tackle pollution.

via Apec: China blocks access to US air pollution data for Beijing | World news | The Guardian.

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