New Air Quality Index May Help India’s Cities Breathe Easier 

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

These days in New Delhi, white shirts stay a lot whiter after a long day outside than they did in the late 1990s. Back then, India was in the thick of rapid industrialization, and millions of cars were being introduced to the roads. The actual particles of air pollution – specifically particulate matter, the mix of airborne liquids and solids produced by industry, transportation, and household combustion – were larger, and thus more noticeable.

Fewer, too, are the days of burning eyes and noses, symptoms caused by the high sulfur content in the diesel that fueled India’s urban bus fleet. By 2001, all buses were mandated to transition from diesel to compressed natural gas. Although a large proportion of India’s overall vehicle fleet still runs on diesel, the sulfur content is lower.

“The air pollution has gotten much smarter,” says Parthaa Bosu, Director of Clean Air Asia’s India office. “It’s no longer as visible and no longer stuck in your nose. Instead, it’s landing directly in your lungs, getting you sick, and increasing your risks of cancer and other respiratory diseases. When you ask citizens if air pollution is a problem, you may hear that the air is clean.”

Except India’s air is a long way from clean. In January, a flurry of media storiessuggested that New Delhi’s air quality was worse than that of China’s capital city, Beijing. In the 2014 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) – a biannual report released by Yale and Columbia universities – India ranked close to last alongside China on an indicator of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is small enough to enter the bloodstream.

India was dealt a further blow in May, when a World Health Organization (WHO) study assessing air pollution in cities ranked New Delhi below Beijing. The study said that New Delhi has “the world’s worst air quality.”

The Indian government initially dismissed the EPI and WHO air pollution findings. However, as it became clear to the international community that air pollution levels in New Delhi and other major cities in India far exceed thresholds deemed safe by bothIndia’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the WHO’s Air Quality Guidelines, Indian pollution-control regulators changed their posture.

This fall, India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will publish its own air pollution index. The index will measure eight air pollutants in 16 Indian cities, ranking the cities based on their air quality.

Similar to air quality indices (AQIs) in the United States, Europe, and China, India’s index is intended to convey air quality levels in a way that is accessible to the general public, clearly identifying health risks associated with the levels of any given air pollutant. The CPCB monitors and regulates the standard spectrum of air pollutants: PM2.5; its slightly larger and less dangerous counterpart PM10; nitrogen dioxide; sulphur dioxide; ozone; carbon monoxide; lead; ammonia; benzene; benzopyrene; nickel; and arsenic. Out of all of these, PM2.5, which the EPI and WHO studies both measure, is the most dangerous to human health.

“India’s air quality index is a good step in informing the general public about the state of air quality, which will not only sensitize them toward this issue but will also make them think about ways to improve it,” said Sumit Sharma, a fellow in the Earth Science and Climate Change Division of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

“However, merely informing the public through an air quality index is not going to solve the problem. Air quality indices depend on the data collected through a network of monitoring stations. The network itself needs substantial improvement.”

The index also aims to inform state governments in drafting their own air pollution policies, while providing feedback on the effectiveness of existing air pollution regulations.

CPCB confirmed that the index is under development, but declined to comment further.

Currently, India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards prescribe 40 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) as an annual average for PM2.5, which is less stringent thanWHO’s interim targets and air quality guideline of 20 µg/m3. India’s recommended levels would qualify as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” under the United States’ Air Quality Index. For PM10 India’s standards prescribe a 60 µg/m3 annual average. That is within range of WHO’s suggested interim air quality targets, but still a long way from its air quality guideline of a 20 µg/m3 annual average.

“The health benefit you get going from 35 to 30 µg/m3 is lower than from 15 to 10 µg/m3,” says Joshua Apte, a postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Apte stresses the nonlinear relationship between air pollutant levels and health impacts – and the need for an index to reflect this.

“It’s important to think about not just the short-term policies that can lead to 1 or 2 µg/m3 gains in a city but also the long-term vision for truly clean air,” he says.

Slated for completion in October, India’s air pollution index marks a positive move by the government to shed light on air quality in India’s urban areas. By clearly communicating the health impacts of air pollution, the index could elevate the public profile of air quality and provide new momentum to improve India’s air quality standards and regulations.

via New Air Quality Index May Help India’s Cities Breathe Easier | Angel Hsu.

Posted in Air Quality, Asia, India | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Respro® Masks FAQ: Do I need to replace the valves?

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

DO I NEED TO REPLACE THE VALVES?

The valves should not need replacing on a regular basis assuming that they are maintained properly. On a monthly basis, it is advisable to flush the valves through with warm water, allow to dry and apply a little talcum powder to prevent the valve from sticking. On the Powa valve, it is essential that you locate the two pins, nearest the hinge, properly into the body of the valve, and check that they are seated properly.

For more FAQ,  go to Respro® Mask FAQ

All Respro® products are available from our website respro.com

Respro® will ship your order to anywhere on the planet free of charge.

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Mayor’s new scheme to tackle old, polluting construction machinery & boost air quality

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd
• London is first city in the world to require construction equipment to meet standards for both particulates (PM10) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• Construction machinery emissions will be cut by approximately 40 per cent by 2020 helping London achieve compliance with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) legal limits

In a world first, the oldest, most polluting bulldozers, diggers and other building site machinery are to be targeted under new plans by the Mayor Boris Johnson to improve the capital’s air quality.

New planning rules will require construction equipment to meet standards for both particulates (PM10) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), cutting emissions by approximately 40 per cent by 2020. Equipment over 10 years old will need to replaced or retrofitted on all developments in central London and major developments in outer London (10 homes or more or 1,000 sq foot in other developments), with occasional exemptions for specialist construction machinery. They will also improve the control of dust from construction and demolition activity which can cause significant health impacts and is responsible for up to 15 per cent of air pollutant emissions in London.

Construction machinery is often replaced less frequently compared to similar emitting engines like cars or vans. Air pollutants coming from dust-generating activities on site, for example breaking-up of materials and the movement of soil, can cause significant nuisance to local residents unless properly managed.

The Mayor’s new mandatory Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) addresses this by reducing emissions of dust, particulates (PM10 and PM2.5) from construction sites and managing emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from machinery. While other cities and countries have introduced emission requirements for construction machinery before, this is the first time any city has introduced rules for both particulate and NOx emissions.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “By replacing the oldest and most polluting bulldozers and machinery on building sites we can greatly reduce harmful emissions and boost our air quality. We’ve all walked past construction sites and seen thick clouds of dust generated from equipment that simply hasn’t been updated or replaced in decades. This new guidance will reduce NOx and is part of a series of strong measures including the Ultra Low Emission Zone from 2020, that will greatly reduce London’s air pollution from all emission sources.”

Dr Claire Holman from the Institute of Air Quality Management said: “This is an important step in reducing emissions from demolition and construction sites that are both annoying and damaging to human health. These standards have rightly taken into account the impact on air quality and will be a key part of the planning process of new developments.”

City Hall has worked closely with the construction and retrofit industries over the new guidance, which will be implemented from September 2015 by local authorities through the planning system. Tighter standards will be put in place in central London, reflecting the greater scale and impact of construction in this area. The standards will tighten again across the whole of London in 2020 to complement the Mayor’s proposals for an Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London, helping create a comprehensive approach to addressing all major emission sources.

Today’s announcement is part of a wide range of measures the Mayor has implemented to improve air quality in the capital to ensure London meets legal limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as soon as possible and by 2020 including:
-The oldest and most polluting vehicles have been taken off the streets, standards for engines and buildings have been tightened and the world’s largest bus retrofit programme has created the cleanest large bus fleet in the world
– Since the Mayor was elected, half as many Londoners live in areas exceeding legal limits, emissions of harmful particulates are down by 15 per cent, and nitrogen oxide emissions are down by 20 per cent.
– Creating the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London from 2020

via Mayor’s new scheme to tackle old, polluting construction machinery & boost air quality | Greater London Authority.

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Experts to survey town’s traffic after residents complain over air pollution

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

‘ENOUGH is enough’, say residents who believe air pollution is harming their health.

People living on Boot Hill in Weymouth are seriously worried about high level of pollution on the road.

A new report shows that the levels of nitrogen dioxide recorded on Rodwell Road, particularly in the Boot Hill area, are some of the highest in the Dorset and up to double the levels of recordings taken in other parts of Weymouth.

Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant caused by traffic which has adverse health effects on breathing and particularly affects asthma sufferers.

Residents have been campaigning about the pollution levels on the road since the new traffic light system was installed in 2011 and have been refused any compensation from the council as the changes ‘did not alter the road’. Linda Skuse and her neighbours have been in contact with Dorset County Council over the issue. She said: “We know that living on a main road, you will get traffic but the pollution caused since these traffic lights have been put in is ridiculous.

“You can’t leave washing to hang outside because it turns black. If you dust in the morning, by the afternoon there is already a thick layer of dust back again.

“There have been occasions where the stuff coming out of the lorries is so thick that you can’t even see across the road.”

Diffusion tubes on the road are checked on a monthly basis and indicate the pollution levels on the hill are higher than elsewhere in the town.

It is said that the traffic problems have also had detrimental effect on house prices on the road.

Jenny and Mick Houghton lived in Weymouth for 20 years but have now relocated to Blackpool after losing more than £40,000 on their house.

“We had to put in triple glazed windows in the living room because of the noise and in three weeks they were black.“Pollution was always high on the road but when the traffic lights were put in it doubled. I had to start using an inhaler,” said Jenny.

“When we originally put our house on the market it was up at £197,000 and after the lights were put in it was dropped to £189,000.”

The road often sees large build-ups of traffic travelling towards Portland, with large lorries, coaches and double-decker buses, struggling to get up the hill.

The government states that the annual mean of nitrogen dioxide in the air should not exceed 40µg.m-3 and if it does, the area must be declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) The most recent data from 2013 diffusion tube readings indicates that the annual mean of nitrogen dioxide on Rodwell Road was up to 48.26µg.m-3 in the worst case.

However, according to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, once the number had been adjusted for bias, and had been averaged with the readings from an automatic monitor which is placed on the corner of Wyke Road, the levels on Boot Hill did not exceed 40µg.m-3, and they are unconcerned about the level of pollution on the road.

Resident Phil Hoskins added:“They won’t give us any compensation, but who’s going to pay for treatments when we all end up in hospital due to this?”

The residents have also asked the council for reports on noise pollution as the last was completed in 2011, before the installation of the traffic lights.

Councillor Mike Goodman, spokesman for community safety at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: “The council will continue to actively monitor air quality levels in the Boot Hill-Rodwell area and respond to concerns of residents who contact us.”

Nitrogen dioxide is associated with adverse effects on human health

At high levels NO2 causes inflammation of the airways. Long term exposure may affect lung function and respiratory symptoms.

NO2 also enhances the response to allergens in sensitive individuals. High levels of NOX can have an adverse effect on vegetation, including leaf or needle damage and reduced growth.

The residents would like to see the following action taken:
– The traffic lights removed
– A safer pedestrian crossing
– Heavy vehicles diverted
– Noise monitors placed on the houses
– Carbon monitors in their homes

MP shows his sympathy with the people living on Boot Hill

SOUTH Dorset MP Richard Drax said: “I really sympathise with the people living on Boot Hill.

“They have 40-ton trucks shaking their houses and exhaust fumes pouring into their homes.

“My suggestion would be to perhaps consider removing the traffic lights.

“Most problems have a solution and I hope something can be done about this.”

Dan Brember, councillor for Rodwell at Dorset County Council, said: “As I understand the traffic management system is currently under review and changes are planned, however I don’t think they are likely to be great scale changes and the reintroduction of a roundabout isn’t going to happen.

“Early reports have indicated that the traffic flow has improved since the implementation of the new system.

“However, if the residents’ health is being negatively affected and house prices decreased as a result, that is a very serious concern and needs to be investigated.”

Survey of Weymouth’s transport to take place

A SURVEY of Weymouth’s transport system is due to be carried out in the autumn.

Tens of millions of pounds were spent on transport projects in the build up to the Olympic sailing events held in Weymouth and Portland.

But not all schemes were welcomed- including replacing roundabouts with an ‘intelligent traffic light system’.

Many locals blasted the expensive overhaul and hailed the transport package a ‘waste of money’.

They criticised the replacement of roundabouts with ‘too many’ traffic lights which they say have created ‘dangerous junctions’ and increased congestion.

Roundabouts converted included those on the harbourside near Asda, and either side of the Swannery bridge.

Traffic lights replaced mini roundabouts at the top of King Street on the seafront as well as on Boot Hill – which also resulted in a shake-up of some road systems.

One of the aims of the £9.3m project was to improve traffic flow around the town and reduce the need for motorists to use King Street and the Esplanade which often gets congested.

Independent experts will now carry out a stage four road safety audit.

The auditors will take into account all road users, not just motorists.

They will look at key areas of the scheme to ensure it meets national standards.

This is the final stage of evaluation of the scheme.

Previous inspections looked at the design and construction of the project.

This time the auditors will take into account accident records to look at any trends.

After identifying potential road safety problems they will make recommendations on possible solutions.

The county council will take this advice along with the diverse and widespread views of local residents to improve areas such as: Boot Hill/Harbour Crossroads; the Wyke Road/Rodwell Road junction and The Jubilee Clock junction on the Esplanade.

Cllr Mike Byatt, county council member for Weymouth, said: “The county council have been mindful of the needs of the town’s residents and visitors. This review will help ensure that our transport plan is fit for purpose and is integrated into Weymouth town centre’s ‘master’ plan.”

via Experts to survey town’s traffic after residents complain over air pollution From Dorset Echo.

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Respro® Masks FAQ: What size particles does the Techno™ mask filter out?

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Techno maskWHAT SIZE PARTICLES DOES THE TECHNO™ MASK FILTER OUT?

The Techno™ filter has sub-micron filtration capability. What this means is that it is able to trap particles less than one micron in size which is more than capable of the removal of 2.5 micron particulate material (PM).
Typically particulate pollution in the cities appears to be in the 2.5 micron size range and above. Particles smaller than this are known as respirable dusts, which can lodge deep within the lungs and air sacs. This is the more dangerous type of particle pollution as chemicals from vehicle exhaust gases combustion known to be toxic, are carried by means of the respirable particles. Hence the need for a Hepa-type submicron particle filter.

The DACC Activated charcoal layer within the Techno™ filter has excellent adsorption properties when it comes to SO2 and NO2 uptakes. With this capability and its capability of filtering VOC’s it is the best filter available in our range for dealing with the broad spectrum of pollutants commonly found in major cities across the globe.

For more FAQ,  go to Respro® Mask FAQ

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Still a lot to learn about India’s deadly air pollution

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

What exactly is the relationship between exposure to air pollution and its effect on human health? How much cleaner would the air have to be to reduce the health burden of dirty air? Can cities be designed so as to minimize the flow of air pollution?

There is still a lot that scientists don’t know about air pollution, but the severe pollution common in much of India offers scientists an opportunity to better understand its causes and effects. The Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researcher Josh Apte is developing some unique approaches to studying air pollution in India and hopes to apply what he learns to developing global strategies for combating it.

Although India uses the same air monitoring techniques that are standard throughout the world to measure ambient air pollution in major cities, such techniques don’t give residents or scientists enough actionable information, in Apte’s judgment. “A big limitation with ambient monitoring is it doesn’t tell you what people actually breathe,” he said. “It gives you some indication of the overall level of air pollution in a city, but it doesn’t tell you where the hot spots are, and it doesn’t tell you the locations where people are getting the bulk of air pollution exposure.”

Air pollution is the number five risk factor for premature death in India, causing three times as many deaths as AIDS and malaria combined. “One thing we can say with quite a bit of certainty is that air pollution is a major risk for premature death in India,” Apte said. “Air pollution now kills more people than poor water and sanitation, which historically has been a major cause of death in India.”

Specifically, the pollutant that is most harmful to human health is fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, for particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. These particles are not visible to the naked eye and can be inhaled deeply into the lungs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers an annual average concentration in excess of 12 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 to be a health concern, whereas average annual levels in India are on the order of 50 to 150 micrograms per cubic meter, according to Apte.

The primary sources of PM2.5 in India are similar to those of other countries—vehicle tailpipes, power plants, and certain industrial processes. Indian cities and rural areas also have significant unregulated sources, including brick kilns, diesel backup generators, trash burning, and wood-burning cookstoves.

To better measure the types and levels of pollutants that people are breathing, Apte hired an auto-rickshaw and drove it around the roads and highways of New Delhi for four months. The vehicle was outfitted with sensors placed at face height to more precisely measure what a person would inhale. He took two- to three-hour trips every day during the morning and evening rush hours.

Apte, Berkeley Lab researcher Thomas Kirchstetter, and a group of international collaborators collected more than 200 hours of real-time measurements of three types of pollutants: PM2.5, black carbon, and . “The levels of air pollution are truly astounding,” he said. “These are some of the highest levels of air pollution that have ever been measured in traffic anywhere in the world.”

Concentrations of PM2.5 were 50 percent higher on the road than in the ambient air. Concentrations of and ultrafine particles were 3.6 and 8.4 times higher, respectively. Videos he made while driving through traffic clearly show how a large polluting truck passing by can immediately cause sensors to spike. “Fifty percent is a big increase when you consider that the baseline is already very high,” he said.

The results from the auto-rickshaw study were previously published in Atmospheric Environment. Since then he and other Berkeley Lab researchers have been working on creating a global map showing mortality caused by ambient air pollution and what happens to mortality rates when air pollution is dramatically reduced. “If we have the goal of ultimately removing the burden of disease from pollution, we need to know how much cleaner we will need to be and what areas of world should be areas of focus,” Apte said.

Eventually he hopes to have a real-time map of pollution in Indian cities to decipher how spatial patterns of air pollution vary around cities. “There’s a lot we don’t know when just looking at air pollution at single points of space,” he said.

Apte believes that understanding how urban form is related to air pollution can be a promising way to ultimately design cities of the future to minimize both sources of and exposure to it. “If we can engineer strategies for ‘smart cities’ to protect public health, I think it’s a tremendous opportunity when we think about the growing cities in Asia,” he said.

via Still a lot to learn about India’s deadly air pollution.

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City mayor to tackle air pollution in downtown Riga

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Latvia’s environment minister Romans Naudins has entrusted Riga City Mayor Nils Ushakovs to immediately solve the problem of air pollution in downtown Riga, LETA reported on Monday.

According to the report, the European Commission (EC) sent a warning to the Latvian Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry (EPRD) concerning the EC’s requirements towards air quality and excessive particulate matter (PM10) in the downtown of Riga.

Naudins expected Ushakovs to solve the situation by Aug. 27. Should the Mayor fail to meet the deadline, some measures will be taken.

“It is not normal that we have to breathe air like this,” the EPRD minister stated.

Dust pollution in the Riga downtown exceeds the EU norm 19 fold. Due to the hot weather the concentration of dust in the air reached 950 microgram (mcg) per cubic meter while the EC allowed norm is 50 mcg.

According to the EC regulations, the norm can be exceeded no more than 35 times per year. Usual practice in Riga is to exceed the norm four fold. Riga will be subject to 500,000 euros (about 669,200 U.S. dollars) fine if the situation is not improved.

By far Latvia has not submitted to the EC an updated statement with the assessment of measures for the improvement of air quality in Riga for the 2011-2015 period. Naudins expects Riga City Council to submit this document by Aug. 27 so as EPRD could forward it to the EC.

via City mayor to tackle air pollution in downtown Riga | Shanghai Daily.

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US and Taiwan sign deal to cut urban air pollution

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

The US, Taiwan and Clean Air Asia, an alliance representing organisations in China, India and Indonesia, have signed a partnership to encourage cities to boost air quality.

The Cities Clean Air Partnership (CCAP) aims to cut air pollution levels across the Asia-Pacific region by sharing technologies and best practice.

Backed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, and Clean Air Asia, the CCAP will also offer financial incentives to high performing cities.

“Air pollution is still causing more than 3.7 million deaths a year and costing the global economy over $3.5 trillion a year in sickness and premature deaths,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest in a statement.

“This partnership is taking a huge step forward to reduce global air pollution and achieve more liveable, healthier cities for all.”

According to the World Health Organisation, particulates from burning fossil fuels and rubbish killed a total of seven million people in 2012, double previous estimates.

In a report published in May it warned seven in 10 cities suffer from dangerous levels of air pollution, with residents in larger cities facing the greatest threat.

Air quality in emerging economies is often worse than in developed countries, with inadequate public transport systems, poor roads and heavy industry within urban areas multiplying problems.

According to Clean Air Asia, the average small particulate levels in 200 Asian cities was around five times higher than WHO guidelines.

via US and Taiwan sign deal to cut urban air pollution.

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