Some new information on staggering death rates in the populous country of India show the real impact and effect of air pollution in our cities. These are sobering statistics and they indicate a silent epidemic that everyone, including Americans, should be aware of.
Reports show that up to 7% of all deaths in 10 India cities are attributed to smog and other kinds of air pollution. That adds up to about 33,000 deaths a year from 2008 to 2019.
One of the biggest culprits in air pollution and human health is PM2.5, fine particulate matter that is generated through processes like wood or coal combustion.
Recommending a maximum of 15 micrograms per cubic liter of air, the World Health Organization reports that almost all of the world’s population breathes excessive levels of contaminants like PM2.5. Other examples include sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde and various volatile organic compounds or VOCs.
Air Pollution in the United States
Meanwhile, the reports on air pollution in America show that a lot of the danger is driven by emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Many of the deaths attributed to air pollution in America happen as a result of cross-state pollution that is generated in one state and moved to another, leading the federal EPA to create a “good neighbors” rule on some kinds of emissions.
In particular, sulfur dioxide is a major pollutant coming from these industrial centers.
While some new technology is lowering the amount of emissions from these coal plants, they are currently estimated to kill 13,000 Americans per year.
In addition to creating better technology for capturing carbon emissions from the fossil fuel plants, advocates are calling for a new investment in clean nuclear energy as a bridge to using renewables to generate more of America’s power on the electrical grid.
The EPA puts out this report on power production and its impact on neighboring communities, showing some of the hazards of the grid as it currently exists. The idea of clean energy has been gaining traction for a while, but the changes have proved difficult and lengthy to implement.
Outdoor and Indoor Air
It’s pretty hard to control pollution in the outdoor air around us. In the above example, the coal-powered plants release not only sulfur dioxide and PM2.5, but also certain amounts of toxins like mercury and lead.
However, indoor air is a different category. Inside your home or living space, you can control the quality of your air using modern air purifier machines. You can use an air monitor machine to assess the air quality in general, and then create a plan for cleansing the indoor air with purifier equipment.
New Air Purifying Technology
These machines work by using modern HEPA filters to scrub the air that runs through them. But there are other technologies as well. Some air purifiers use high heat to kill bacteria and other microbes. Some use ultraviolet light, and some models introduce probiotics to balance the ecosystem of air inside of a building.
You can choose the technology that works best for you, and the size of machine that fits your indoor spaces. US Air Purifiers LLC™ can help: we can recommend the best strategy for improving your indoor air and making your home space cleaner and more livable. Let us assist with figuring out logistics like air changes per hour (ACH), what features you need, and much more, working with the best brands available. It’s all part of improving your life in your home!