Hong Kong cyclists stuck at government red light

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

… Another factor keeping riders off the roads is pollution.

The government revised its air quality objectives for the first time in 25 years in January, after university research showed pollution-related illnesses killed more than 3,000 residents a year.

Patrick Fung, campaign manager at the Clean Air Network, says the main source of pollution is traffic emissions. But his organisation is reluctant to make the promotion of cycling one of its primary goals.

“We have to be practical. There aren’t many bikers in Hong Kong and the roads are not really suitable for bikers for daily commuting,” he says.

He concedes it is a Catch 22 situation. People do not want to ride because of the pollution, but unless they get in the saddle the air quality is less likely to improve.

Hong Kong cyclists stuck at government red light | Bangkok Post: news.

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Air pollution socks in much of Idaho | Fire Season

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

With most of the state’s air ranking in the orange, red or dreaded purple category, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued alerts Friday that banned outdoor burning in every county.

Some individual areas have seen worse conditions this year, but this is the first time so much of the state was subjected to breathing air that is considered unhealthy, said Mary Anderson, the state’s smoke-management program coordinator.

“I don’t ever remember it being quite this bad,” Anderson said.

Air in the Treasure Valley was in the orange category most of Friday, as it was in Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls.

Other areas had it worse. Air in and around Lewiston, Salmon and Grangeville was ranked in the red category.

Orange air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Older adults, seniors and people who suffer from lung diseases are encouraged to avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

Red or purple air quality means everybody should follow that advice.

via Air pollution socks in much of Idaho | Fire Season | Idahostatesman.com.

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FAQ: I need the protection of the City™ mask, but would like the added comfort of the Sportsta™, is this possible?

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

I need the protection of the City™ mask, but would like the added comfort of the Sportsta™, is this possible?

Yes! The filters and valves used in both the City™ and the Sportsta™ masks are totally interchangeable.

 

For more FAQ,  see Respro® Mask FAQ

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Air Quality Endangered by Fires in Washington

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

Forest fires that have blazed for days in central Washington state have taken a toll on the region’s air quality, state officials said Thursday, with smoke darkening the skies and residents told to stay indoors with their windows shut.

Near Wenatchee, Wash., a town of nearly 32,000 residents known for its apple orchards, air quality reached a hazardous zone for the first time since the state began monitoring pollution from small particles, including smoke, in the 1980s, the state’s ecology department said.

The smoke hazard in that region has for days been about three times as high as any other recorded levels. “We have the worst air-pollution readings we’ve ever seen in the state,” said Janis Gilbert, a spokeswoman for the ecology department.

via Air Quality Endangered by Fires in Washington – WSJ.com.

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Birdlip air pollution: Gloucestershire MEP demands action

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

Air pollution at a traffic hotspot in Birdlip, Gloucestershire, needs to be investigated, an MEP is demanding.

Sir Graham Watson, the Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the South West, is writing to the government and hopes the matter will be taken “very seriously”.

He was made aware of the concerns by a Cotswold councillor asking what could be done about high levels of nitrogen oxide (NO2) in the area off the A417.

Cotswold District Council led a public consultation into the issue in 2011.

via BBC News – Birdlip air pollution: Gloucestershire MEP demands action.

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Aging, polluting school buses remain on Californian roads

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

Tens of thousands of California schoolchildren ride aging school buses that emit harmful pollutants, an analysis of state data shows.

Unlike many states, California does not require bus owners to take buses off the road after a set number of years. As a result, California has some of the oldest buses in the nation.

The emissions from older school buses are harmful to both children and air quality for the broader community.

Children riding in conventional diesel school buses are exposed to more air pollution than those riding in cleaner natural gas or low emission diesel buses, according to a 2003 study conducted by the California Air Resources Board.

Buses manufactured before 1990 can pollute as much as six times more than new buses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There are about 3,000 buses in the state built in the 1980s and earlier, according to a California Watch analysis of data maintained by the California Highway Patrol.

via Aging, polluting school buses remain on Calif. roads | California Watch.

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Idaho wildfires blamed for smokey conditions in the Top of Utah

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

Three fires burning several thousand acres in central Utah are pumping a lot of smoke into the air, but fires in Idaho are making the mountains in Top of Utah disappear.

Mount Ogden was invisible from Business Depot Ogden by 2 p.m. Monday as the smoke levels slowly rose.

Bo Call, air quality monitoring supervisor at the Utah Division of Air Quality, said the air pollution was mostly smaller particulate matter and “looks worse than it is,” but said the concentration was rising as the day went on.

The Division of Air Quality rated the air quality Monday afternoon as “moderate,” meaning those with lung problems and the elderly should restrict outdoor activity.

via Idaho wildfires blamed for smokey conditions in the Top of Utah.

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FAQ: What filter do I need?

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Respro® UK Ltd

What filter do I need?

You will need to determine what type of environment you will be using the mask in, a city environment or a countryside environment. Typically, if you are commuting every day with heavy or slow moving traffic, you should use the City™ filter. Although chemical pollutants can be found in the countryside; crop spays, fertilisers etc., particulates are more likely to pose a potential problem, thus a Sportsta™ filter is likely to be the better option.

For more FAQ,  see Respro® Mask FAQ

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