Respro® Masks FAQ: I feel my breathing is restricted, is this normal?

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

POWA VALVEI feel my breathing is restricted, is this normal?

I think that from the start that you have to understand that any mask will have some level of restriction especially at fast breathing rates for example; when cycling fast.

All of our masks are compatible with aerobic exercise. If you body starts working in an anaerobic capacity then no mask is compatible and you will feel like you need to stop or slow down.,

The best masks will use exhalation valves that ‘dump’ heat, water vapours and Co2; the quicker the better. The removal of these components are the key to comfort. You need to get them out of the mask. The Powa and Powa Elite valve is key at elevated breathing rates.

For more frequently asked questions, 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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Michigan cities graded on air pollution

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

The American Lung Association just released its annual report card on air quality, State of the Air.

Detroit and Grand Rapids made the list of most polluted cities for their ozone levels (Detroit ranks 34th worst out of 220 cities; Grand Rapids ranks 30th).

But others made the cleanest cities list: Kalamazoo and East Lansing scored well for particle pollution. Those are very tiny specks found in smoke and exhaust.

Janice Nolen is with the American Lung Association. She says overall, the air quality in Michigan has improved over the past 15 years. But she says we still have too many days with high ozone pollution.

“Michigan is showing the same thing we’re seeing in a lot of the country: that the more warm weather we have, the more likely it is we’re going to have high ozone days in Michigan,” she says.

East Lansing is listed as a city with clean air in the 2014 State of the Air report, published by the American Lung Association

She says ozone pollution can cause breathing problems, and she says there’s new evidence ozone might also hurt your heart.

Her group is pushing for tighter regulations on smokestacks and tailpipes.

Some of the report’s findings:

Nearly half of the people in the United States (147.6 million) live in counties with unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution.

More than 27.8 million people (8.9%) in the United States live in 17 counties with unhealthful levels of all pollutants measured in the report.

Twenty-two of the 25 most ozone-polluted cities in the 2014 report – including Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago – had more high ozone days on average when compared to the 2013 report.

Thirteen of the 25 cities with the worst year-round particle pollution reached their lowest levels yet, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Bakersfield.

via Michigan cities graded on air pollution | Interlochen.

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London smog: Boris Johnson shuns air pollution inquiry

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Boris Johnson has been accused of taking a reckless approach to Londoners’ health after refusing to appear before a parliamentary investigation into air pollution.

The environmental audit committee (EAC) today launched a new inquiry into air pollution following recent dangerous levels of air pollution experienced across the country.

However, sources at the committee said Johnson had refused to appear before them.

A spokesperson for the mayor would not say why Johnson would not appear, but insisted that one of his aides would be “likely” to attend at some point.

Opponents say the mayor is not taking the issue seriously, having previously dismissed air quality during the recent Saharan smog episode as “perfectly fine.”

The EAC is calling for urgent action from the government and local authorities to tackle the problem of air pollution.

“Air pollution is thought to contribute to more deaths than passive smoking, traffic accidents or obesity, yet the UK is still breaching European safety limits nearly five years after EU fines were first threatened,” committee chair Joan Walley said.

The mayor’s refusal follows worldwide publicity for the recent so-called Saharan smog which sat over London for the best part of the week. Johnson dismissed the problem at the time, saying that he had cycled in the smog and found the air quality to be “perfectly fine”.

Johnson’s opponents said he was running scared of the committee.

“The Mayor has claimed to be doing all he can to improve air pollution in London, which many of us know to be nonsense,” Green party London assembly member Jenny Jones said.

“His refusal to answer to the EAC is a clear indication that he also knows his claim is nonsense and he would be shown up as lackadaisical on an issue that blights the lives of Londoners, especially children and the sick.”

Johnson’s refusal to attend the committee’s inquiry comes as campaigners revealed new findings showing large areas of London suffering under toxic levels of pollution.

Campaigners against Johnson’s plans to construct a new four lane motorway crossing of the Thames in SE London, monitored pollution levels at 150 sites connected to the crossing earlier this year.

They found nitrogen dioxide levels up to two and a half times the legal level under EU regulations. In total, five sites recorded pollution levels at more than double the legal limit.

“Boris Johnson is backing dangerous plans for the Silvertown Tunnel rather than taking a stand against the lethal air pollution that blights our communities, and the traffic that causes it,” Darryl Chamberlain, from No to Silvertown Tunnel said.

“The failure of Boris Johnson to address air pollution is damaging health and London’s economic development,” Andrew Wood of Network for Clean Air added.

“The mayor of London needs to immediately appoint a commissioner for air quality with a task force to knock heads together, bring forward the start date of the proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone, and extend it to at least all the inner London boroughs – including Greenwich and Lewisham – which have harmful and unlawful levels of air pollution.”

A spokesperson for the mayor said he was taking the problem of air pollution “very seriously” and was “driving the most ambitious and comprehensive package of pollution tackling measures in the world.”

They insisted his plans for a new ultra low emission zone would be a “game changer” for air quality.

“The Mayor welcomes this enquiry. He will be submitting written evidence, and a representative from City Hall is likely to appear before the committee,” they added.

via London smog: Boris Johnson shuns air pollution inquiry.

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Respro® Masks FAQ: Do the filters need replacing, if so, how often?

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Do the filters need replacing, if so, how often?

Yes the filters do need replacing.

1. The effective working life of the City™ filter depends on a number of factors, such as; the breathing rate of the user; ambient levels of pollution; the length of time the filter is actively working; hygiene levels. Taking these factors into account we recommend that the filter should be replaced every month or every 69 hours, whichever is sooner.

2. Replacement of the Sportsta™ filter should be carried out every month or when the filter becomes noticeably discoloured.

For more frequently asked questions,  go to Respro® Mask FAQs

Do you need to change the filter in your Respro® Face Mask? Watch this video to learn the correct procedure.

Posted in Air Quality | 1 Comment

Madrid’s smart parking meters to charge more for most polluting cars

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

The city of Madrid is introducing smart parking meters that will slap a surcharge on cars that pollute more and reduce parking charges for efficient vehicles, a system that city officials are touting as the first of its kind in the world.

Starting on 1 July, the price a motorist pays to park in the city streets will be based on a complex table governed by the engine and the year of the car. Hybrids will pay 20% less to park, while a diesel car made in 2001 will see a 20% mark-up. Electronic cars will park for free.

The city is hoping that the new system will help ease pollution levels, which consistently rank above the EU average. The Spanish capital continually exceeds the EU limit for nitrogen dioxide in the air – mainly released through car exhaust systems – with rates that have at times spiked five times above the limit deemed safe by the EU.

Parking fees are one of the best ways to discourage motorists from driving into the packed city centre, said Elisa Barahona, who heads Madrid’s sustainability division. “We thought it would be fair if the cars that pollute more pay more, and compensate those who use more efficient vehicles.”

The price of parking will also vary depending on how busy the street is: empty streets will cost less to park along, while a street with few remaining parking spots left will charge up to 20% more.

The majority of drivers, said the city, will see little difference in the price of parking, which will range between €0.66 and €3.29 an hour. But an estimated one in four drivers, theoretically those behind the wheels of the most polluting cars in the city, will see the cost of parking rise. “Particularly for those who have cars that pollute, we hope that having to pay more will make people think twice before using them,” said Barahona.

The parking meters are part of a wider set of measures designed to improve the city’s air quality, she said, including energy efficient buses in the city centre and a bike-sharing programme slated to begin in June. “Now with the economic situation improving a little, we have more opportunities to put all of our ideas in motion.”

One million cars enter the city each day, said Mariano González of Ecologists in Action, noting that the new parking meters would help lessen this number. But he highlighted the emphasis the system will place on the age of the car, which plays down the role of other variables. “Maybe you bought a large vehicle this year, say a sports utility vehicle. It could actually have higher emissions than an older, smaller car.”

The parking meters, said González, are probably an attempt to appease the European Union, which has threatened the city with hefty fines if it fails to improve its air quality.

He pointed to the London mayor, Boris Johnson, often pictured on his bicycle. In contrast, he said, Esperanza Aguirre, former head of the regional government in Madrid and current president of the Madrid People’s party, was recently caught illegally parking her car in a bus lane on one of Madrid’s busiest streets as she withdrew money from a cash machine. “It’s an image that’s quite revealing of the attitude of our politicians towards environmental issues.”

via Madrid’s smart parking meters to charge more for most polluting cars | World news | The Guardian.

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Old vehicles cause air pollution in Serbia

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Clean air is the basis for the health of the entire ecosystem. Air is a mixture of gases that make up the atmosphere, consisting of approximately 4/5 nitrogen, 1/5 oxygen and very small amounts of noble gases, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ozone, water vapor, and various impurities. Troubles arise when the ratio is disrupted. The atmosphere is increasingly polluted and toxic substances are transported by air to remote locations, becoming a means of pollution for other segments of the environment.

In Serbia there is a particularly widespread problem of air pollution, primarily as a consequence of a very low level of environmental awareness. Basically, the causes of pollution are bad quality motor fuels, the use of older vehicles without catalytic converters, and outdated technology in the industrial and energy sectors. Exhaust from vehicles is one of the most dangerous contaminants of clean and healthy air. This problem is particularly pronounced in the larger cities like Belgrade and Novi Sad — a consequence of the increasing number of cars on the streets.

In Serbia last year more than 100,000 used vehicles were imported; six times more than new vehicles, of which about 18,000 were imported. The data indicate that it is necessary to tighten regulations and raise the standards for the import of used cars, which are poorly controlled. Vehicles older than 14 years are imported into the country and are driven in traffic without any safety or emissions controls. Experts have pointed out that it is necessary to amend regulations on the import of used vehicles in order to conform and adapt to modern and environmental standards. In this way, further contamination of the environment can be prevented and the conditions for greater safety improved. Serbia must follow the example of many European cities, which have already introduced preventive measures to restrict traffic due to pollution from vehicle emissions.

Serbia’s Director of Traffic Safety agreed with the initiative to amend the said decree and agreed to meet with representatives of state institutions, such as the Ministry of Commerce; Ministry of Transport; Ministry of Energy, Development and the Environment; and the Ministry of Finance and Customs Administration. After accepting this initiative, the situation is expected to improve. However, this is a difficult process that can not be expected to be resolved overnight. The large number of old cars that already exist in Serbia will certainly stay in the country for a long time.

What should people do while waiting for politicians to solve the problem? First, they should drive less. Simply driving less can contribute to pollution reduction. And driving less does not mean sitting at home. Try to combine driving with other ways of getting to where you want to go. Walk, ride a bike or start using public transport.

via Old vehicles cause air pollution in Serbia.

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Air pollution in Silvertown exceeds EU limits, campaigners warn

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Air pollution in parts of Silvertown is more than one-and-a-half times the European legal limit, according to a new study.

Campaigners from the No to Silvertown Tunnel group, who carried out the research, warn levels will get worse should the Newham Council-backed road tunnel connecting the Royal Docks to the Blackwall Tunnel approach at North Greenwich get the go-ahead.

The group monitored nitrogen dioxide levels at 150 sites across Newham and four other London boroughs in January.

The results showed the nitrogen dioxide level at the site of the tunnel’s planned northern portal in Dock Road was 62 microgrammes per cubic metre, far greater than the EU legal limit of 40 microgrammes per cubic metre.

Readings at the junction of Greengate Street and Barking Road in Plaistow measured nitrogen dioxide levels as 71 microgrammes per cubic metre in the middle of a residential area and levels of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre were recorded both at the junction of Mill Road and North Woolwich Road and at the northern end of Silvertown Way, by Canning Town station.

Prolonged exposure to air pollution causes respiratory problems and can lead to cancer. Pollution from motor vehicles can also affect the development of children’s lungs.

Darryl Chamberlain, spokesman for No To Silvertown Tunnel, said: “Local politicians are backing dangerous plans for the Silvertown Tunnel rather than taking a stand against the lethal air pollution that blights our communities, and the traffic that causes it. A new tunnel will only bring extra traffic – it won’t bring relief from congestion or pollution.

“It’s time we took a stand and worked together to reduce the traffic on our roads, instead of encouraging more vehicles from Kent and Essex to clog up our roads and pollute our neighbourhoods. Newham Council, Greenwich Council and the Mayor of London must rethink their support for the Silvertown Tunnel before it’s too late.”

Andrew Wood of Network for Clean Air said: “These results bear out what we know: the failure of Boris Johnson to address air pollution is damaging health and London’s economic development.

“The Mayor of London needs to immediately appoint a Commissioner for Air Quality with a task force to knock heads together.”

via Air pollution in Silvertown exceeds EU limits, campaigners warn – News – Newham Recorder.

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Almost half of Americans live with unhealthy levels of air pollution

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Respro® UK Ltd

Nearly half of all Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to an American Lung Association (ALA) report released Wednesday.

Nearly 148 million people live in areas where smog and soot particles make it unhealthy to breathe the air, according to the ALA’s annual study on US air quality.

The report, which is based on data collected between 2010 and 2012, found smog, or ozone, had worsened in 22 of the 25 biggest US metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Houston, Washington-Baltimore, New York City and Chicago – and said there was a high risk of more high-ozone days because of climate change.

“Weather played a factor,” the report said. “The warmer summers in 2010 and 2012 contributed to higher ozone readings and more frequent ozone days. Sunlight and heat create conditions that increase the risk of high ozone levels.”

Smog, or ozone, which is the most widespread air pollutant, forms more readily in hotter temperatures, and is expected to increase under climate change. “It’s going to make it harder to clean up air pollution,” said Janice Nolen of the ALA. “Days that wouldn’t ordinarily have high ozone levels are going to have them.”

She added: “It’s going to be much harder to keep ozone pollution down to the levels that we should be breathing.”

There is growing concern globally – including in the US – about the health risks of air pollution. The report’s release comes a day after the supreme court endorsed the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to deal with smog and soot that travel across state lines. The ALA had joined that case on behalf of the EPA. The group has also been pushing hard to tighten air pollution standards, and has supported the EPA’s moves to force power plants to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

Scientific research shows that smog and soot are far more harmful at lower levels than previously thought. A growing body of research over the last decade has connected air pollution to increased deaths from heart disease and respiratory illnesses. The World Health Organisation said last autumn that particulate pollution causes lung cancer.

Air pollution in New Delhi rose to record levels in winter, triggering a debate about whether the Indian capital had now caught up with Beijing. Britain was on smog alert earlier this month after recording very high levels of air pollution.

Meanwhile, California’s pollution control officers warned this month that extreme heat and wildfires could set back decades of improvements in air quality, boosting smog formation and spewing dangerous smoke into the air.

Eighteen of the 25 US cities with the worst particulate pollution saw a drop in year-round particle pollutants because of cuts in emissions for coal-fired power plants and other measures. Thirteen of them, including Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Atlanta, registered their lowest ever levels. But the report said those cities still failed to meet national standards for year-round particle pollution.

via Almost half of Americans live with unhealthy levels of air pollution | Environment | theguardian.com.

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