World Environment Day: Tips for inhaling clean air from inside and out

From Vinay Pathak

The alarm bells sound long and clear. According to the World Organization for Air Pollution (WHO) World Air Pollution Database published in Geneva, India has 14 of the 15 most polluted cities in the world, with a PM 2.5 concentration.

The report also shows that only ambient air pollution has caused an estimated 4.2 million deaths, and that household air pollution using fuels and polluting technologies has caused about 3.8 million deaths. Deaths in 2016.

Common mistake
The term "air pollution" generally refers to images of vehicles and equipment with gases and vapors. But often people do not think about their own homes and offices. But according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. UU., Indoor air may be two to five times worse than outside air. Since we spend almost 90% of our time indoors, improving air quality at home and at work is very important.

The indoor air is filled with PM2.5 and PM10 microparticles. From minor ailments to life-threatening illnesses, they can have a negative impact on our lives. In addition, we bring in many harmful substances ourselves.

Precautions to go inside
If you are indoors, follow these steps to keep the air clean.

Avoid smoking in the house: Cigarette smoke is one of the most common internal pollutants. It is enlarged in the rooms with carpet or fabric.

Avoid or minimize VOCs: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases that are emitted by certain solids or liquids. They can have short and long term health effects. The most common household VOCs are paints, solvents, aerosols, detergents, disinfectants, recreational products, pesticides, etc. VOCs in offices include construction materials, furniture, photocopiers, printers, and even liquid supplies.

Regular Air Conditioning Maintenance: Poorly cleaned air filters are the main cause of infection and allergies. The accumulation of allergens such as dust, fungi, pollen and bacteria can trigger ENT and respiratory tract infections.

Clean room air: One of the simplest and least expensive methods for cleaning room air is the use of an AC filter. At present there are effective AC filters on the market that can absorb the particles themselves and give a cleaner air to breathe.

Before you go
Outdoors, you can take several steps to stay out of the polluted air.

Avoid walking in the morning , look at the quality index of the air to see if it's safe to go in the morning. It is not advisable to walk or run in the smog.

Avoid outdoor activities for children: children are reluctant to go home. But playing outside with smog and dangerous air quality levels can damage your lungs.

Wear masks: When leaving, we recommend a respirator N95 / 99. It filters PM2.5, PM10, H1N1 virus, contaminating particles and even allergens.

Pollution is the unwanted reality of an industrial society. But these precautions can keep you and your family well and strong.

(The author is an expert on this topic in the 3M APAC region)

Let's block the advertising! (Why?)