New petrol engines ’cause more air pollution’

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

New types of petrol engines are more damaging in terms of air pollution than traditional designs, according to new research. It has been found that new generation engines can release around 1,000 times more particles that can be damaging to human health and detrimental to air quality levels.

According to a European Commission research paper suggests that gasoline direct injection (GDI) petrol engines will make up the majority of new cars that are sold throughout Europe by 2020. They have been embraced by the car making industry as a way of achieving lower emissions, which is a big focus as countries undertake processes aimed at stalling climate change.

However, a study that was seen by the Financial Times, written by TUV Nord, an independent technical research institute, has found that this new type of engine may not be as beneficial to the fight against air pollution as previously thought. According to the study, GDI engines release approximately 1,000 times more harmful particles – as classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) – than older forms of petrol engines.

The particles, including carcinogens, contribute to reduced air quality levels and can have impacts on human health.

GDI engines were also found to release ten times more potentially harmful particles than new diesel engines. According to the News reporter, these increased levels are due to the fact that the engines have a higher cylinder pressure, which is aimed at reducing emissions. However, while this may keep emission levels down, the extra pressure results in a higher level of particles being produced.

Greg Archer, clean vehicles manager at Transport and Environment, a think-tank based in Brussels, told the Financial Times: “Cars are the largest source of air pollution in Europe’s cities and 90 per cent of European citizens are already exposed to harmful levels of particle pollution.

“More fuel-efficient, lower-CO2, GDI engines would be a great innovation if they did not emit harmful particles. These particles can be eliminated for the price of a hands-free kit.”

via New petrol engines ’cause more air pollution’ – Nov 27 2013 01:07 PM – Breaking News – Pollution Solutions Online.

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Mumbai’s air most polluted in November

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

Balmy afternoons and cool evenings take a toll on Mumbaikars’ health, hospitals see 20% rise in patients with respiratory ailments.

Monday was the most polluted day in November, which has been one of the most polluted months this year and has seen a series of respiratory and bodily illnesses breaking out.

Meteorological experts have indicated that air pollution usually increases in winter because of the dense cool air and lack of wind which traps pollutants close to the ground, often creating smog.

Although this past week, pollutant levels have been higher than usual because of cloudy weather and increased humidity in the air, it was not smog (which is fog mixed with pollutants) but dust particles that has caused lack of visibility.

In the beginning of the week, air pollutant levels touched 242 micrograms per cubic metre of air (ug/m3) — the highest recorded level this month till date. November has seen an an average air pollution level of 150ug/m3.

Warm balmy afternoons and cold evenings have taken a toll on Mumbaikars’ health. Hospitals are witnessing a 15 to 20 per cent rise in patients suffering from respiratory disorders. “The city air harbours a potent mix of post-Diwali pollution coupled with seasonal change and fluctuating weather. Patients treated for chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD), which causes respiratory distress, has seen an increase by 15 to 20 per cent,” said Dr Tejal Shah, chest physician at the Godrej Memorial Hospital in Vikhroli. “Patients come with symptoms like shortness of breath and incessant wheezing.”

“Clouds are coming in because of cyclonic activity on the Andhra coast. Humidity has increased along with the temperature which causes suspended particulate matter (pollutants) to keep circulating in the atmosphere, locked in by clouds. Moisture keeps these pollutants from dispersing or drying up, trapping them in the air,” said Dr Gufran Beig of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.

“The only remedy for this condition is for the sun to come out. This will help disperse some of the pollutants,” he said. Experts have said there is a chance of more cyclonic activity on the Andhra coast in the coming week and cloudiness might continue till the cyclones stop.

Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra and Goa have been seeing dense clouds and spurts of rainfall since the past week, which resulted in an increase in humidity and temperature. The regional Meteorology department in Mumbai attributed this change to a trough travelling upwards from Lakshadweep and said the weather should revert to its normal winter course within a few days.

Average pollutant levels in micrograms per cubic metre of air (ug/m3)

October: Nitrous Oxide (NOx)- 94.5 / Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) – 106.5

November: NOx- 142 / RSPM- 148.5

Highest level of pollutants in November

November 24th: Nox – 228 ug/m3

November 25th: RSPM – 242 ug/m3

Safe limit: 100 ug/m3

via Mumbai’s air most polluted in November – Mumbai – DNA.

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Beijing confiscates barbecues in drive to cut air pollution

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

Beijing is waging a war against air pollution, one barbecue at a time. Officials have destroyed more than 500 open-air barbecues to cut particulate matter.

Photos carried by state media showed workers cutting pieces of metal as city wardens looked on. A media officer at Beijing’s Xicheng district administration bureau said hundreds of barbecue grills had been confiscated in a three-month campaign and cut up so they could not be used again.

Ma Jun, an environmental campaigner, said residents had complained to environmental agencies in the past about the odour and smoke from open-air barbecues.

“This action will help local residents, but to deal with the bigger air quality problem we need to have priorities and I think one of the major priorities should still be the motor vehicle emissions,” said Ma, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.

He said the focus should be on improving the fuel quality and emissions control of heavy duty diesel trucks, while also involving the surrounding regions, not just Beijing.

The capital’s pollution regularly reaches hazardous levels. The city government announced last month that emergency measures such as factory shutdowns and traffic limits would be imposed when air pollution levels were particularly heavy.

via Beijing confiscates barbecues in drive to cut air pollution | World news | theguardian.com.

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Air quality issues result in Washington burn bans

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

Stage One burn bans have been issued in Snohomish and King Counties, Washington, US, in an attempt to avoid air quality worsening any further and to protect public health. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issued the burn ban in an attempt to reduce air pollution. Pierce County in Washington is already subject to a Stage Two burn ban.

The Puget Sound region experienced a spike in the levels of fine particulate pollution that were measured on Saturday (November 23rd) night, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. Levels of particulate air pollution were particularly high in areas where wood-burning for heat generation is very common.

Both Snohomish and King Counties are subject to the burn ban, which states that no burning of food is to take place in fireplaces. Burning on uncertified wood stoves and uncertified fireplace inserts is also prohibited. The agency is recommending that residents use their electric baseboard heaters or furnaces while the air quality of the area is improving over the next few days. The burn ban will be lifted once fine particulate air pollution has dissipated and is no longer a risk to public health.

If a residential property only has a wood stove to provide an adequate amount of heat, they are exempt from the ban. All outdoor fires are prohibited while the ban is in place, including campfires, pit fires and bonfires. Anyone that is found to be in violation will be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 (£616).

While the fine particulate levels are high, the state’s Department of Health has recommended that any residents who are particularly sensitive to air pollution – such as those with respiratory problems – limit the amount of time that they spend outside. People that have problems with their hearts or lungs could experience problems while air quality is low and air pollution can trigger issues. Anyone with diabetes, older residents and children are also being recommended to remain indoors where possible.

via Air quality issues result in Washington burn bans – Nov 25 2013 01:00 PM – Breaking News – Envirotech Online.

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Warning over high level of air pollution in Derry

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

Air pollution has hit unusually high levels in Londonderry.

The very high levels of particulate matter are linked to the current cold weather conditions and are expected across Northern Ireland until Friday, forecasters said.

The weather conditions can lead to the build-up of local emissions from vehicles and home heating.

A DoE spokesman said: “During periods of high air pollution, the symptoms of people with lung or heart disease may worsen. Healthy people are unlikely to experience any ill effects.”

People can help to cut the high pollution levels by avoiding burning solid fuels, avoiding lighting bonfires and reducing car journeys, the DoE said.

“If you must drive, switch off the engine if you expect to be stationary for more than a couple of minutes, and drive smoothly.”

Hourly updates on levels of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide are available on the department’s website: airqualityni.co.uk.

via Warning over high level of air pollution in Derry – BelfastTelegraph.co.uk.

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Air quality in Utah a pressing concern, according to task force

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

The state’s struggle with air quality is among the top pressing issues identified by members of Economic Development Task Force, which delivered recommendations urging immediate action by Utah lawmakers in advance of the winter inversion season.

Created two years ago by the state Legislature, the 16-member task force has been studying what hurdles exist and what improvements can be made to Utah maintaining its position as an attractive place to live.

Rep. Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, told his colleagues that they should partner with Gov. Gary Herbert’s office and the Utah Clean Air Partnership to immediately launch a public information campaign aimed heightening awareness of what can be done to reduce air pollution.

“We have more than one place in Utah that has been affected and will be affected by poor air quality,” Wilson said.

With topography that makes winter inversions an inherent problem along the Wasatch Front, there still remains much the public, government agencies and businesses can do, he said.

“We have more than one place in Utah that has been affected and will be affected by poor air quality…The challenge is, can we pump less pollutants into the inversions?”

–Rep. Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville

“The challenge is, can we pump less pollutants into the inversions?” Wilson asked.

The task force believes that is possible, he said, with an organized campaign aimed at motorists, which contribute to 57 percent of the winter pollution in Salt Lake and Davis counties.

The task force’s recommendations also include creating the position of state resource sustainability director to help to cross-coordinate among agencies and other entities information about what best practices are already in play to curtail emissions.

During the course of the task force’s work, the group surveyed what was already being done across state government and in other circumstances, and what steps are planned for the future to cut down on air pollution.

Wilson said the group encountered plenty of “creative solutions,” but that information was not being shared.

The recommendations include:

• Increasing funding for the state Division of Air Quality to beef up enforcement of violations and provide more personnel for permits.

• Devote more money to retrofit existing vehicles so they are clean burning.

• Offer fleet incentives to reduce emissions.

• The Natural Resources Interim Committee and Workforce Services Committee should review the State Implementation Plan on curbing PM2.5 that is under review now and ultimately will be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency to bring Utah\’s non-attainment areas with the federal Clean Air Act into compliance

• The Utah Legislature should work with the Utah Clean Air Partnership and the state Department of Environmental Quality to identify best practices to cut down on air pollution that have been successful along the Wasatch Front.

• Clarify that electric charging stations can charge for electricity without being regulated as a utility. A bill to set that in motion was introduced in another legislative committee Wednesday.

Lawmakers also noted that more needs to be done to get the word out about the strides made so far to improve Utah’s air quality since 1970.

“Our air is cleaner today than it has been in decades,” said Rep. Roger Barrus, R-Centerville. “We still have a long way to go, but people need to recognize how far we have come, some of the things we have done and where we are headed.”

via Air quality in Utah a pressing concern, according to task force | ksl.com.

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Iran: Thousands in hospital as air pollution peaks in Khuzestan

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

Thousands of residents of Khuzestan have sought hospital treatment due to worsening air pollution in the southern Iranian province.

The Khuzestan capital Ahwaz, with a population of five million, was recently named as the world’s most polluted city by the World Health Organisation.

A health official at Ahwaz university said in the city alone, 16,344 people needed medical treatment for the effects of acid rain.

More than 50 people were also hospitalized with respiratory problems in Ahwaz when air pollution levels spiked on November 5.

Across Iran, air pollution is now the third worst in the world, according to the WHO. The regime’s health ministry also admitted in March that environmental pollution kills around 80,000 people a year in Iran, which equates to 21 per cent of the country’s annual death toll.

In a report by the state-run Fars News Agency on February 27, the ministry’s head of environmental health Kazem Naddafi said: “Iran will have the highest health levels in the region by 2025.”

via Iran: Thousands in hospital as air pollution peaks in Khuzestan.

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Dry eye linked to air pollution coupled with weather conditions

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Respro® UK Ltd

Residents of major cities such as Chicago or New York with high levels of air pollution have an increased risk of dry eye syndrome, U.S. researchers say.

Dr. Anat Galor of the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, said dry eye syndrome, a deficiency in tear production, is a prevalent condition affecting up to 4 million Americans age 50 and older and whose manifestations negatively affect physical and mental functioning.

The symptoms of dry eye syndrome can be very detrimental to patients and severely affect the quality of one’s life, as well as result in loss of productivity due to interruption of daily activities like reading and using computer screens, Galor, the lead researcher, said.

This is the first study of a large patient population covering the entire continental United States to link dry eye syndrome treatment location to atmospheric conditions — in particular, air pollution coupled with weather conditions, Galor said.

Using data from the National Veterans Administrative database, the National Climatic Data Center and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the researchers examined the health records of 606,708 U.S. veterans who received dry eye syndrome treatment in one of 394 VA eye clinics within the continental United States from July 2006 to July 2011.

Those living in areas with high levels of air pollution had the highest magnitude of increased risk for dry eye syndrome, at an incidence rate ratio of 1.4. Most metropolitan areas, including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami, showed relatively high prevalence of dry eye syndrome — ranging from 17 percent to 21 percent — and high levels of air pollution.

The findings were presented at the 117th annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in New Orleans.

via Dry eye linked to air pollution coupled with weather conditions – UPI.com.

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