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| Wed, 20th Jan 2021 14:10:00 |
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Air pollution: over three billion people breathe harmful air inside their own homes |
You might think air pollution can be avoided indoors. But worldwide, more than 3 billion people are exposed to it within their own homes through cooking, heating and lighting with traditional fuels. These are fuels that can be gathered locally and burned on an open fire, such as wood, charcoal, coal, animal dung and the wheat straw and corn cobs that make up farm waste.
The smoke that’s generated by these fires is rich in soot – otherwise known as black carbon. These dark particles absorb UV radiation from the sun and warm the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
But the problem doesn’t end there. Black carbon is just one component of PM2.5 – particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres that emanates from car exhausts, factory furnaces and open fires, among other sources. Once inhaled, these tiny particles can affect the heart and lungs, exacerbating asthma symptoms and contributing to heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and lung cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) has created guidelines that identify when indoor air is no longer safe to breathe, and one target recommends limiting concentrations of these fine particles to 35 micrograms per cubic metre.
Read original full article
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