Is air pollution actually harmful?

There’s hardly a week that goes by without news of the latest worrying climate change statistic or global warming data. It’s easy to tune out, especially when it seems to be a problem that is way beyond our pay grade. 

Tuning out is one thing but ignoring can be harmful. Just as harmful as air pollution – another sort of intangible concept that can seem irrelevant. 

Yet, it is real and dangerous. 

What is air pollution?

You can’t really see it but imagine in front of you right now, a myriad of solid and liquid particles, gasses, pollen, dust, smoke, smog and other little elements. That’s air pollution – air pollutants caused by fires, car and truck exhausts and fumes, factories and power plants. 

There’s an infamous picture that depicts Delhi in India during one of the COVID lockdowns. This city is usually notorious for its air pollution and on a good day, the atmosphere looks like it's been dipped in a sepia filter. Yet during the lockdown, with cars and people off the street and many buildings shut down, the air cleared and everything was clean and fresh again. 

Air quality is measured by AQI (air quality index) and taking Delhi as an example, the air quality usually hits 200 on a “good day”. During the lockdown, levels were estimated to be around 30.

For context, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), anything over 25 is unsafe. 

What’s the harm?

Plenty, including the risk of long-term illness. WHO statistics reveal, “Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause adverse health outcomes. It increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer. Both short- and long-term exposure to air pollutants have been associated with health impacts. More severe impacts affect people who are already ill. Children, the elderly and poor people are more susceptible. The most health-harmful pollutants – closely associated with excessive premature mortality – are fine particles that penetrate deep into lung passageways.”

Also concerning is that there may be a link between polluted air and the risk of developing anxiety and depression. A study published in the journal, NeuroToxicology, stated, “People who breathe polluted air experience changes within the brain regions that control emotions and as a result, they may be more likely to develop anxiety and depression than those who breathe cleaner air.”

What does this mean for me? 

Air pollution, as you can see, affects everyone and unfortunately, is probably more detrimental to people who have chronic illnesses. For an asthma sufferer or someone with respiratory issues, air pollution can trigger more frequent attacks and bouts of illness. 

In a world of millions of cars on the road daily, factories, buildings and environmental toxins, it’s challenging to protect your health when you’re constantly exposed to so many pollutants. 

Let’s look at a few things you can do to protect yourself and your family. 

• Start by doing your part to keep the air cleaner. Try not to overuse your car, more walking, less petrol-guzzling trips. 
• When in your car, try not to “idle” the engine for too long. 
• If you have a washing machine, be sure to run full loads only to conserve energy. Generating electricity creates air pollution.
• Don’t burn wood, trees and leaves in big piles! This is a fire hazard and the smoke does no favours to the environment.
• If you notice the air quality outdoors is particularly bad, keep your children indoors for that period.
• If at all possible, try to avoid peak traffic hours when air pollution is at its highest. 
• Invest in a few green plants for the home that can help purify the air, that is, they actually work to remove toxins from the air. Try spider plants, rubber trees or the snake plant.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. Always check with your doctor or medical practitioner about any health concerns, before embarking on any fitness or nutrition programme, and usage of any medication.