How can air pollution hurt my health?

Air pollution can affect our health in many ways with both short-term and long-term effects. Different groups of individuals are affected by air pollution in different ways. Some individuals are much more sensitive to pollutants than are others. Young children and elderly people often suffer more from the effects of air pollution. People with health problems such as asthma, heart and lung disease may also suffer more when the air is polluted. The extent to which an individual is harmed by air pollution usually depends on the total exposure to the damaging chemicals, i.e., the duration of exposure and the concentration of the chemicals must be taken into account.

Examples of short-term effects include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Other symptoms can include headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. Short-term air pollution can aggravate the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and emphysema. In the great "Smog Disaster" in London in 1952, four thousand people died in a few days due to the high concentrations of pollution.

Long-term health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys. Continual exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of growing children and may aggravate or complicate medical conditions in the elderly. It is estimated that half a million people die prematurely every year in the United States as a result of smoking cigarettes.

Research into the health effects of air pollution is ongoing. Medical conditions arising from air pollution can be very expensive. Healthcare costs, lost productivity in the workplace, and human welfare impacts cost billions of dollars each year.

Additional information on the health effects of air pollution is available from the Natural Resources Defense Council. A short article on the health effects of ozone (a major component of smog) is available from the B.A.A.Q.M.D.
SOURCEhttp://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/Frames/pollution-health-effects-f.html

Air pollution causes dangerous blood clots

THE latest in a growing list of health problems linked to air pollution: dangerous blood clots triggered by smog from traffic and factories.

If a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) breaks loose from where it forms in the lower leg or thigh and travels to the lungs, it can cause breathing problems and sometimes death. Andrea Baccarelli and colleagues at Harvard School of Public Health monitored the air quality in different parts of the Lombardy region of Italy. They also collected the home addresses of 870 people from the region diagnosed with DVT between 1995 and 2005, and 1200 healthy controls. When they controlled for socio-economic factors, they found that living in an area with 25 per cent more particulate pollution than the average for big European cities increases the risk of DVT by 70 per cent compared with the average for the whole population (Archives of Internal Medicine, vol 168, p 920
SOURCEhttp://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19826563.800-air-pollution-causes-dangerous-blood-clots.html

What is Acid Rain and What Causes It?

"Acid rain" is a broad term used to describe several ways that acids fall out of the atmosphere. A more precise term is acid deposition, which has two parts: wet and dry.

Wet deposition refers to acidic rain, fog, and snow. As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it affects a variety of plants and animals. The strength of the effects depend on many factors, including how acidic the water is, the chemistry and buffering capacity of the soils involved, and the types of fish, trees, and other living things that rely on the water.

Dry deposition refers to acidic gases and particles. About half of the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through dry deposition. The wind blows these acidic particles and gases onto buildings, cars, homes, and trees. Dry deposited gases and particles can also be washed from trees and other surfaces by rainstorms. When that happens, the runoff water adds those acids to the acid rain, making the combination more acidic than the falling rain alone.

Prevailing winds blow the compounds that cause both wet and dry acid deposition across state and national borders, and sometimes over hundreds of miles. Scientists discovered, and have confirmed, that sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are the primary causes of acid rain. In the US, About 2/3 of all SO2 and 1/4 of all NOx comes from electric power generation that relies on burning fossil fuels like coal.
SOURCEhttp://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/acid_rain.shtml

How Do We Measure Acid Rain?

Acid rain is measured using a scale called "pH." The lower a substance's pH, the more acidic it is. Pure water has a pH of 7.0. Normal rain is slightly acidic because carbon dioxide dissolves into it, so it has a pH of about 5.5. As of the year 2000, the most acidic rain falling in the US has a pH of about 4.3.

Acid rain's pH, and the chemicals that cause acid rain, are monitored by two networks, both supported by EPA. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program measures wet deposition, and its Web site features maps of rainfall pH (follow the link to the isopleth maps) and other important precipitation chemistry measurements.

SOURCEhttp://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/acid_rain.shtml

Effects of Acid Rain

Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to damage of trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000 feet) and many sensitive forest soils. In addition, acid rain accelerates the decay of building materials and paints, including irreplaceable buildings, statues, and sculptures that are part of our nation's cultural heritage. Prior to falling to the earth, SO2 and NOx gases and their particulate matter derivatives, sulfates and nitrates, contribute to visibility degradation and harm public health.
SOURCEhttp://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/acid_rain.shtml

PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION

Prevention of Air Pollution
Casio promotes the reduction of SOx, NOx and dust emissions
through facilities and energy conversions.
Global Environment and Casio
The emissions of SOx, NOx and dust are
shown in the following graph.
In the Electronics Equipment Division,
the emissions of SOx and NOx have increased
substantially since fiscal 2003.
This is due to the full-capacity operation of
co-generation, which burns heavy oil, at
Yamagata Casio Co., Ltd. as growing production
necessitated an increase in electricity.
The measured values of emissions at
Yamagata Casio Co., Ltd. clear the ordinance
standards.
Co-generation was introduced to lower
CO2 emissions per unit of production. The
CO2 emissions per unit of production were
0.038 ton-CO2/¥1 million lower in fiscal
2004 than in fiscal 2001, which precedes
the introduction of co-generation.
􀋙 Efforts to Reduce Emissions
Regarding SOx, NOx and dust emissions,
Casio will promote the use of turbo freezers,
the gentlest kind of freezers to the environment,
as a company-wide policy. In
addition, Casio will promote the replacement
of heavy oil with such fuels as kerosene
SOURCEhttp://world.casio.com/env/pdf/report_2005/p44.pdf
and city gas to reduce emissions.
In fiscal 2004, fuel for absorption-type
freezers was changed from heavy oil to
kerosene in an effort to reduce SOx, NOx
and dust emissions.
Furthermore, old boilers at Casio Hitachi
Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. and Hachioji
Research and Development Center
were replaced with new models that emit
little SOx, NOx or dust in the building that
went through remodeling and additions,
drastically reducing their emissions.
􀋙 Emissions of SOx, NOx and
Dust at Overseas Sites
In fiscal 2004, Casio Korea Co., Ltd. and
Casio Electronics (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd.
were able to reduce their NOx and dust
emissions, thanks to facilities alterations.
However, SOx emissions at Casio Electronics
(Zhuhai) Co., Ltd. increased as adequate
measures were not implemented.
The company plans to take action toward
reduction of emissions in the future.
As of fiscal 2004, there are no facilities
that emit NOx, SOx or dust at Casio’s overseas
sites with the exception of Casio Korea
Co., Ltd., Jiu Shui Keng Casio Electronics
Factory, Casio Electronics (Zhuhai) Co.,
Ltd. and Casio Electronics (Zhongshan)
Co., Ltd.
Reduction of SOx, NOx
and Dust Emissions
44
Global Environment and Casio

How can we prevent AIR POLLUTION???????

In many countries in the world, steps are being taken to stop the damage to our environment from air pollution. Scientific groups study the damaging effects on plant, animal and human life. Legislative bodies write laws to control emissions. Educators in schools and universities teach students, beginning at very young ages, about the effects of air pollution.

The first step to solving air pollution is assessment . Researchers have investigated outdoor air pollution and have developed standards for measuring the type and amount of some serious air pollutants.

Scientists must then determine how much exposure to pollutants is harmful.

Once exposure levels have been set, steps can be undertaken to reduce exposure to air pollution. These can be accomplished by regulation of man-made pollution through legislation. Many countries have set controls on pollution emissions for transportation vehicles and industry. This is usually done to through a variety of coordinating agencies which monitor the air and the environment. At the United Nations, the Atmosphere Management Program carries out world wide environmental projects. In the United States, the primary federal agency is the Environmental Protection Agency. Many state and local organizations also participate in monitoring and controlling the environment. These include the San Francisco Bay Area's Air Quality Management District (B.A.A.Q.M.D.), the Air Quality Management District in southern California, the Environmental Protection Agency of California, SmogBusters of southern California, and the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention (GHASP).

Prevention is another key to controlling air pollution. The regulatory agencies mentioned above play an essential role in reducing and preventing air pollution in the environment.

In addition, it is possible to prevent many types of air pollution that are not regulated through personal, careful attention to our interactions with the environment. In the United States, most household products come with instructions about safe use. Additional information about product chemical safety are available in an article and a fact sheet from Enviro$en$e, and in Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).

Building materials should be reviewed for potential harmful effects. Information on building materials can be found in LBNL's Center for Building Science newsletter. Additional information is available from EcoTech.

Adequate ventilation is also a key to controlling exposure to indoor air pollution. Home and work environments should be monitored for adequate air flow and proper exhaust systems installed. Additional information is available in a book titled Understanding Ventilation .

One of the most dangerous air pollutants is cigarette smoke. Restricting smoking is an important key to a healthier environment. Legislation to control smoking is in effect in some locations, but personal exposure should be monitored and limited wherever possible. Additional information about the effects of "secondhand" cigarette smoke is available from the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and Medicine On-line.

Only through the efforts of scientists, business leaders, legislators, and individuals can we reduce the amount of air pollution on the planet. This challenge must be met by all of us in order to assure that a healthy environment will exist for ourselves and our children. Find out "What you can do to reduce air pollution".
SOURCEhttp://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/Frames/pollution-prevention-f.html