6 Common Myths About Air Pollution – Know Your Facts

With the spread of wildfire in this season, we all worry about air pollution more than every other day. Other than wildfires there are several reasons like industrial emissions, vehicle emission by internal engine combustions and indoor activities are contributing to this environmental annihilation at a mega level.

Practically, in these situations, society has established several concepts and theories that are partially true to minimize the impact of such health hazardous conditions. But unfortunately, most of them are not scientific enough to follow them. And some of them are myths with advanced health impacts which make the condition worst.

So we decided to bunk these myths with scientific facts from today’s Know Your Facts to describe their impact on our society. Read and enjoy.

01. Air Pollution is an Urban Problem Not Ours

This myth is spread among the community. Because urban areas are the core locations, with the highest air pollution for several reasons. When there is severe air pollution in a specific location, research has found that it can easily be extended into remote areas, even into other countries also.

Mainly, satellite data and calculated health impacts were very helpful to figure out that pattern variation and existing atmospheric conditions and weather have been the main reasons behind them.

Indoor activities and agricultural purposes are the main factors behind rural areas’ air pollution. But we can see acid rains and another kind of different weather deviation even in villages and forest regions.

The reason behind this is changing weather conditions like wind and seasonal natural factors occur after air pollution is created in urban areas.

02. Electric Vehicles has no contribution to Air pollution

Usage of electric automobiles is the new trend, which comes under protecting nature with the “no Air Pollution” label. But aren’t you worry about “that electricity” which is used for those vehicles coming from?

Actually, this electricity is created by fossil burn at power plants worldwide. So even we try to prevent that internal combustion in automobile engines using electric vehicles, that pollution level has been covered in another way.

But the electricity created by solar or wind is much green than other existing methods. But the issue is the efficiency of that production which is not available all the time depend on our requirement.

But if you manage to use a vehicle with electricity usage, it is a good step for further improvement of the “go green” concept when we compare it with existing modern technology.

03. Surgical Mask provides the best protection

With the pandemic season, everybody worries about the usage of face masks to be protected from viruses and other harmful airborne contaminants.

There are several masks in the market and every one of them is not capable of filter all kinds of air pollutants.

The following table shows the filtration capacity depends on the mask porosity size and used materials.

Mask	Cloth	Pitta	Surgical	N95	N95	Cartridge Respirator
Filter Material	Variable	Variable	Microfiber	Microfiber	Microfiber	Variable
Filter Efficiency	Depends on filter	Depends on filter	Depends on filter	95% (0.3 micron PM)	99% (0.3 micron PM)	10 x PEL (Permissible exposure limit)
Protection	One way	Allergens, Pollen, Dust, Virus	Two way	Reduces wear’s Exposure	Reduces wear’s Exposure	Specifically official sites(Mining, Chemical)
Duration	–	–	2 hours	8 hours	8 hours	Depend on cartridge

Studies show surgical masks let leak 68% of the air comes through it. So it is not the best safety we can be expected from all.

If you are managed to find an N95 mask that is one of the best ones with 95% filtration capability in daily life, which is a good replacement instead of a surgical mask.

04. People with Respiratory problems – you are the ones who need protection

If we quote, they say “sensitive groups” are the ones who have to always keep your eye on stay away from polluted air. They mean people who have got allergy issues, lung cancers, and other sorts of respiratory issues. But the question is, are they the only category who have to be ways stay from this polluted air conditions.

Even you are a perfectly healthy person when have exposed to polluted atmospheric conditions, your bloodstream is directly under an attack of several contaminants.

Also, oxygen supplement to that blood is partially blocked. Which gives strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer, etc. directly.

When they mention so-called “sensitive people”, it should ones who only breathe. Because when someone healthy, neglects the condition of the atmosphere, is the first person who enters that category of respiratory problems.

So, everyone needs to be protected, without considering your health condition’s fragileness.

05. Stay Indoor- That’s the best place for Air pollution

This is one of the famous myths you also might be aware of. According to our community outdoor atmosphere is the most polluted one other than the indoor.

But according to EPA records, there is a significant chance of having higher air contamination levels indoors other than in most public areas. Because these indoor areas can be specifically filled lot of on-place air contaminants like molds, smoke by cooking and burnings, dander, VOC volatile organic compounds release through deodorants and furniture and paints, etc.

In this list, we consider not only homes and personal accommodations but also subway areas, office areas, cars, and other covered locations which do not expose to the outer atmosphere directly.

Studies state that there is a four to five chance of detecting the higher level of pollutants like PM2.5, CO2, and VOC in indoor areas than outside passing the permissible limit.

The main reason behind this is ventilation problems that can be most seen in most indoor areas. Other than outdoor locations, improperly constructed indoor can easily stick several air contaminants and circulate them in the same location by creating several health-hazardous problems.

Updated ventilation systems and usage of air purifiers might reduce that risk in a specific amount of level.

06. Technology Makes things worst

With the beginning of the industrial era, the addition of several air pollutants into the atmosphere was a fact we cannot be disregarded. Even though that bought the world to a new level, there were several hidden problems attached to that.

The famous one is health problems.

With the pandemic situation, air pollutant levels could be seen at an unexpected minimum level with lockdown situations, all over the world. This gives us hope, even though the earth is damaged it can be reinstated with few steps of our proper willingness.

That means there is a direct path of technology we can easily be accessed to a green world with the least controlled amount of pollution level.

Mostly, with modern technology remove fossil fuels, usage of renewable energy sources, introduction with environment-friendly civilizations path of the developing technology we can be neglected.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals by the UN is one key that has put further steps to keep us with the latest technology and as well as environmental protection in a parallel path.

SO it is doable, dedication is the thing you are needed.

Read More – To Know about air purification

Read More – To know our facts more

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