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Posts Tagged ‘Air Pollution’

A new study has demonstrated the strong correlation between air pollution and air quality and the level of costs incurred in by elderly patients seeking medical attention. The study took in millions of Medicare records of both in- and out-patients between 1989 and 1991 all the patients were white and aged between 65 and 84 years.

The study was conducted by Professor Victor Fuchs, professor emeritus at Stanford University and assisted by Sarah Franks, a doctoral student at Berkeley, University of California. The study results were published in the November/December issue of Health Affairs, and the conclusive results demonstrate a direct linkage between air pollution and the level of health, particularly respiratory health in elderly patients. More than this, the study demonstrates that investment in improving air quality and reducing pollution leads to direct cost savings which are substantial.

At a time when there is a great debate centered around healthcare, and especially who will be footing the bill, the report clearly demonstrates that pollution control provides an excellent opportunity for improving the nation’s health, reducing the cost of healthcare and provides opportunities to improve the quality of life for the elderly.

Factors taken into consideration in the study, which took in 183 metropolitan areas, included regional geographical variations, per capita income, educational achievement, ethnic breakdown of the sample location, weight levels (particularly obesity levels) and cigarette usage.

There are clear differences between urban and rural areas within the study samples; metropolitan areas also varied widely in the quality of the air and pollution levels the study demonstrates that there is only a small difference in rates of surgery between high and low pollution sample locations, however this picture radically changes when medical intervention short of surgery is assessed.

Outpatient care has a 7% difference between high and low air pollution locations, but when we look at inpatient care the difference increases dramatically to 19% more people seeking treatment in the more highly polluted sample locations.

Population size and density has a very significant impact on air quality Florida and Blue Sky country (centered upon Montana) has the cleanest air but Florida had twice the outpatient treatment rate (this being a factor of the higher population size and density). Hospital admissions were found to be at their highest in the Deep South and South Western areas of the country.

Overall, differences in admissions to hospital for respiratory conditions between low and high air pollution locations are relatively low; the data must be interpreted with care because of the small difference. Nevertheless, there is a clear relationship between air pollution and the need for increased medical intervention for the elderly. As the authors state in the conclusion of the report, the results do not provide, “absolute proof” that high pollution areas result in higher spending on medical care, however the data results are highly persuasive.

Irrespective of whether the study constitutes “absolute proof” or not, there is a clear need for greater outpatient medical treatment for those living in highly populated and highly polluted areas. The correlation between high pollution levels and population levels also demonstrates just who is actually responsible for creating the problem with air quality in the first instance.

AIR POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENT

By Dr. Christabell Joseph, LL.M.,Ph.D (Law),

Assistant Professor, Hyderabad.

Ancient Indian thinkers emphasized the importance on the purity in air. They were eagerly conscious to convey the value of pure air.  We find in the vedic literature at various places, this view of the sages revealed to them I their exalted state of meditation, which they expressed in the form in vedic sukts.

In the Sukta Vayu/air has been organized and recognized as a primary source of human life without the purity of which human life on earth is difficult.  It shows that the process of Yajna and importance attached to Yajna in vedic literature recognizes beyond doubt the importance of pure air because at that Yajna was considered to be one of the best means to purify atmospheric pollution.  Even today, the importance of Yajna is a fact self proved which clears the air pollutative elements.

The insight, knowledge and views of ancient thinkers may be utilized for removing air pollution in modern times because ideas are not limited by time and place.  It seems the vedic sages knew the possibility of pollution of environment by the human agencies and therefore they pray that ,mankind should always strive to keep the environment free from pollution for the well being of mankind since pollution of environment can cause inconceivable miseries.

Environmental pollution has assumed serious proportion in modern times.  Environmental problems in a country are related to the level of the economic development, availability of natural resources and lifestyle of the population.  Poverty poses special problem for an over populated country with limited resources.  In this paper an attempt, is made to highlight some problems cause by air pollution.  In India most vehicles and industries are the main culprits for air pollution.  But the main question is that inspite of the fact that we have legislation on protection of environment and over the years Supreme Court has also come out with laudable judgments which deal with the menace of environmental degradation, consequences and cure but the problem still remains unsolved.

AIR POLLUTION AND JUDICIAL RESPONSE

The Supreme Court has taken a very serious note on air pollution caused by vehicular remissions. In M.C. Mehta Vs. Union of India (1991) 2 SCC 137), concerning the high air pollution in Delhi caused by the number of petrol and Diesel vehicles in the city, the Delhi Administration was asked to furnish a list of prosecutions launched against heavy vehicles for causing pollutions and directed the installation of devices brought out by Nation Environment Engineering Institute to be in-built into every vehicle manufactured after April 1 1991.

According to the chart we find that the number of commercial/transport vehicles are;

a.   More than 25 years old                5,718

b.   Between 24 and 25 years old          954

c.   Between 23 and 24 years old          635

d.   Between 22 and 23 years old          524

e.   Between 21 and 22 years old          748

f.   Between 20 and 21 years old           770

Therefore, the total numbers of vehicles which are more than 20 years old are 9,349.  These vehicles are all commercial vehicles which have been registered and on which road tax has been paid.  The count of vehicles which are more than 15 years but less than 20 years old are:

      a.   Between 17 to 19 years           3,200

      b.   Between 15 to 16 years           4,962

The court further held that (a) all commercial/transport vehicles which are more than 20 years old shall be phased out and not permitted to ply in the National Capital Territory, Delhi after 2nd October, 1998: (b) all such commercial/transport vehicles which are 17 to 19 years old shall not be permitted to ply after 15th November, 1988.  This order shall apply to all commercial/transport vehicles whether registered in the National capital territory, Delhi or outside which are more than the stipulated age.

All these directions which are given by the Supreme Court for the prevention of air pollution in urban areas are well doing.  But real question is how to enforce and implement the directions?  What is the role of state and NGO’s in preventing pollution, preventing the safe, clean and healthy environment?

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Are you tired of this Earth? Is your heart heavy with regret and fear that this world may be destroyed without a fight then what are you doing? Stop air polluting! If you say that you are only a mere normal person and there is nothing much that you can do then you are mistaken. The effort to make this world a clean and better place to live in must come from you.

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Yes, we humans are the major contributors to air pollution. There is nothing else that we can do but to do our part in battling air pollution. Let us start with ourselves. Here are some things that we can do.

1) Plant more trees and plants. In this way you are trying to do your part in clearing the air. 2) Stop smoking. Yes, it is not only for your health but for the environment. 3) Try to commute rather than riding in your own car, if you can walk your way to your destination then well and good. 4) Do thing manually. Try to lessen the use of your electronics and appliances. Less energy consumed the better. 5) Don’t use chemicals, sprays, pesticides and other harmful liquids.

6) try to eat foods which are produced locally, you can save much energy. 7) Put off the light when they are not in use. Make sure that electricity is not wasted. 8) Practice the 3R’s, reduce, reuse and recycle. 9) Use alternative energy like wind and solar. 10) If you can afford buying a hybrid car the better.

Stop air polluting with these ways mentioned. Do it now and do your part for the environment. Make this world a better place to live in. Air pollution must be stop now, not tomorrow or the weeks to come.

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What we experienced at the Beijing Olympics, regarding air pollution should be a reminder to all of  us to pay more attention to to what pollutants we are exposed to.  Respiratory problems caused by air pollution is really not the major concern. We should also be concerned about its toxic effects on the heart and cardiovascular system, especially our blood vessels.  Mounting research shows that toxins are a major cause of heart damage.

 According to an article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), air pollution has both short- and long-term toxic effects that injure the heart and blood vessels, increase rates of hospitalization for cardiac illness, and can even cause death.

 ”We used to think air pollution was a problem that primarily affects the respritory system. We now know it is also bad for the heart,” said Robert A. Kloner, M.D., Ph.D., director of research at the Heart Institute of the Good Samaritan Hospital, and a professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, both in Los Angeles.

 When pollutants are inhaled, they trigger an increase in “reactive oxygen species”-superoxiding molecules that damage cells, cause inflammation in the lungs, and spark the cascade of harmful effects in the heart and cardiovascular system, especially the arteries and blood vessels.

Recent research suggests that ultrafine air pollutants, such as those coming from car exhaust, may pass into the blood stream and damage the heart and blood vessels directly. Hearts directly exposed to ultrafine air pollutants show an immediate decrease in both coronary blood flow and the heart’s pumping function, as well as a tendency to develop arrhythmias, according to studies conducted at the Heart Institute.

“There doesn’t have to be an environmental catastrophe for air pollution to cause injury,” said Boris Z. Simkhovich, M.D., Ph.D, a senior research associate at the Heart Institute of the Good Samaritan Hospital, and an assistant professor of research medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. “We’re talking about very modest increases. Air pollution can be dangerous at levels that are within the accepted air quality standards.”

 Studies in both humans and animals have shown that exposure to air pollution can affect heart rate, blood pressure, blood vessel function, blood clotting, and heart rate variability (a factor in developing heart rhythm disturbances), and speed the progression of atherosclerosis.

Researchers who study large populations of people over time have found that increased levels of air pollution are linked to emergency hospital admissions for heart attack, chest pain, and congestive heart failure and even to death from heart disease, arrhythmias, heart failure and cardiac arrest.

 The elderly and patients who have already been diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes (which damages the blood vessels) are particularly vulnerable to the cardiovascular effects of air pollution.

“Patients with cardiovascular disease shouldn’t exercise outside on days with increased air pollution levels. On very polluted days, they should consider staying inside, and during the winter, they should limit exposure to fireplace smoke,” Dr. Kloner said. “Of course, the real solution is to reduce air pollution.”

Alfred Bove, M.D., Ph.D., agreed. “The review by Dr. Simkhovich and his fellow authors make it quite clear that air pollution is linked to cardiovascular disease and blood vessel damage.,” said Dr. Bove, ACC’s president-elect and cardiology section chief at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. “They suggest that this is another compelling reason to campaign for improved air quality, while at the same time studying therapies to minimize the risk of exposures

 You know it is paramount that we provide the nutrients our bodies need, because our bodies were designed to heal themselves. It has been documented that heavy metals and other toxins cause the energy system in our bodies to be short circuited and that causes our immune system to not work correctly which in turn allows diseases to become cronic.  Proper nutrician is the only safe way to combat most degenerative diseases promote healthy blood vessels and reduce the toxic effects of air pollution..

As the world makes progress, our environment also regresses. Why is this so? It is because with industrialization booming, air pollution also progresses badly. It has been a problem that our world has ever since.  Is there a solution to air pollution? Indeed there is.

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Air pollution can be lessened, it can be avoided and surely it can be solved. We do not have to wait for other people to take action; we need to start on our own. Making smart and environment friendly choices can help much in reducing air pollution. Industries contribute much to air pollution, they thrive because there is a demand to produce products, and mostly they are made of paper and plastics.

That is why in order to address the growing demand for industries to produce; we have to make people aware of the importance of the 3Rs. That is to reduce the use of electricity, gasoline and even energy. We also have to make sure to reuse items which we can still use. Take for example boxes, bottles, glass and many other things that we can make use of and produce into another useful item. We also need to recycle. Paper products as well as plastic ones are on top of the list.

Car as we all know is second to industries which contribute to air pollution. Try to use your cars only when it is really needed. You can save on gas as well as other bills if you try to walk a short distance or use a bike while enjoying the scenery.

We need to have strong laws for getting rid of air pollution. We should have stronger and firmer laws. See to it that you abide by the laws and in this way step by step you will do your part in giving a solution to air pollution.

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Air pollution is prominent all around us. Have you observed whether or not the air that we breathe is already polluted? Have you observed that the environment you are in is trying to pollute the air? If you do, then what should you do about it, what should be done to solve it? Controlling air pollution is the likely answer.

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There has been a rise in global awareness of air pollution but despite of this awareness, efforts to stop air pollution has been useless. Various sectors in the society try to prevent and lessen air pollution as much as they can but it seems like it is always put in vain. Awareness about the current air pollution is a good start to have. It may not seem to be an effective way but just being aware first can go a long way.

The most important people who need to be aware about controlling air pollution should be legislators and head of governments. Why is it so? It is for they can easily control their people and they can implement laws. They have to work together with environmentalists as well as educators in teaching children what they can do in making this world a better place to live in.

We people should also be aware that we need to do our part in controlling air pollution. We have to do our own role by not smoking, by not using aerosols, sprays, chemicals and other factors that can contribute to air pollution.

If you know deep in your heart that something can be done to stop air pollution then do it. Do not wait for somebody else to motivate you and make you do something. The effort to control air pollution must come within you and not from anyone else. Do it now.

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There is sound facts starting hundreds of the studies conducted worldwide which polluted air has unfavorable effects on health. The air pollution affects ranges from mild respiratory frustration to minor lung cancer and various cardiovascular diseases. In various developing nation, where the air quality is often poor, the link among air pollution along with health is often understandable. The recent study by California Department of the Health Services indicates that the industrial air pollutants might raise the risk of the autism by 50 percent in most of young children and also unborn babies. The account was available online in the various journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Whereas In China the air excellence in numerous cities is consequently bad that just breathing is the equal as smoking a set of cigarettes every day plus respiratory disease as of the air pollution are the leading source of death. When ask to sketch the sky, a lot of Chinese children prefer a yellow or gray crayon.
However, in most of the places all over the world, where the sky is generally blue, along with air excellence improved considerably in current years, the association among the air pollution and the health is to amount clear. There is extensive debate on whether the air quality is at present threatening the physical condition of people all over the world. Some researchers are pronouncing evidence of the serious health problems as of increasingly small contamination particles. Well in most of the reviews the outcome of a number of air pollution evidence, result that the “community death rates mount and fall almost in lock-step by way of local changes of the tiny dust particles—also when the attentiveness of those element are presently one-quarter of the centralized limit for the outdoor air.” though, other researchers quarrel that there is no systematic evidence for such assert, and challenge that the air pollution is not a dilemma in the United States. The Gregg Easterbrook, of the Brookings organization, an organization dedicated to research and psychoanalysis of the public policy, condition that the quality of the world air is so high-quality that it must be “a national basis for celebration.”
The Disagreements on whether the air pollution is at present threatening the people all over the world. Health fuel the discussion over how the air quality should be synchronized. The Emissions reductions may be extremely luxurious for the industry and, eventually, the consumer. The Regulatory agencies all face the complicated task of weighing the possible health remuneration of the regulation next to the costs to the industry and result the most pleasing balance among the two.

Dubai may not rank as one of the most polluted cities. But research recently carried out by Gulf News has revealed that Deira, Garhoud and International City have the highest levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Karama, Media City and the Marina also rank highly with some results higher than international standards’ annual averages.

With so many sites under construction and ever increasing traffic, UAE is likely to face trouble in the future. This may be the reason why around 15% of UAE residents (mostly children) are suffering from asthma (the most common allergy in the county). The surrounding desert landscape is also adding to the problem; which is why Dubai residents are continuously suffering from particulate matter (PM 10) circulating in the air. Many have contently settled at accepting that the air pollution because of PM 10 in Dubai is a result of its geographical location. But research has placed other possibilities, like the formation of PM 10 directly in the atmosphere.

It so happens that 90% of the people in Dubai spend less time outdoors. But this doesn’t solve the problem. According to the EPA, indoor air is supposed to be more polluted than outdoor air. Prolonged exposure to pollutants like tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust, and animal dander can cause asthma and allergies. Only an air purifier can improve indoor air quality.

Oxynet Solutions recommend HEPA air purifiers to improve indoor air quality. It is important that your air cleaner provides both, a deep bed activated carbon filter and a medical grade HEPA filter. Oxynet Solutions can provide an air purifier for any indoor air cleaning requirement you might have.