L25: Air Quality & Domestic Waste Managment Flashcards
Def of Air pollution
- It is the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living organisms, or cause damage to the climate or to materials
Magnitude of the problem of Air pollution
❶ 4.2 million deaths every year occur as a result of exposure to ambient (outdoor air pollution)
❷ 3.8 million deaths every tear as of household exposure to smoke from dirty cookstoves and fuels
❸ 9 out of 10 people worldwide live in places where air quality exceeds WHO guidelines limits
Types of Air pollution
- Indoor
- Outdoor
Causes of Indoor air pollution and household energy
Around 2.6 billion people still
❶ cook using solid fuels (such as wood, crop wastes, charcoal, coal and dung)
❷ kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves.
- Most of these people are poor, and live in low- and middle-income countries
These cooking practices are …..
❶ Inefficient
❷ use fuels and technologies that produce high levels of household air pollution with a range of health-damaging pollutants including small soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs
Risk Factors of Indoor air pollution and household energy
❶ In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can be
100 times higher than acceptable levels for fine particles.
❷ Exposure is particularly high among women and young children, who spend the most time near the domestic hearth.
Impacts of Indoor air pollution on Health
Outdoor air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting everyone …….
in low, middle and high-income countries
Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide per year in 2016
…
this mortality is due to exposure to fine particulate matter of ……. which cause cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and cancers
2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5),
Types of air pollutants
Primary Air Pollutants
Secondary Air Pollutants
Health effects of Air Pollution
- Long Term effects
❶ lung cancer
❷ damage to the immune, neurological, reproductive, & respiratory systems.
❸ In extreme cases, it can even cause death
Health effects of Air Pollution
Health effects of Air Pollution
- Short Term effects
❶ Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat
❷ Wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and breathing difficulties
❸ Worsening of existing lung and heart problems, such as asthma
❹ Increased risk of heart attack