The Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Symposium is a group that convenes a lot of scientists and experts, looking at some of the biggest issues with climate and the environment. The involved participants often review some of the most concerning sources of air pollutants that are having a major impact on communities around the world.

So what kind of trends are scientists seeing? These are three of the issues enumerated by speakers at this conference in the past few years.

Electric Vehicles and Fires

One recent presentation went over the threat of toxic gas releases when lithium-ion batteries are set on fire.

Vehicle fires can lead to combustion of the battery electrolyte, which can disperse heavy metals and other toxins.

Scientists conducted full-scale fire tests with electric vehicles to see what the results would be. What they found, in part, was that there are some specific threats involved with these scenarios, and that we should be doing research around mitigation and damage control. Tests undertaken in conjunction with federal agencies also consider the risk of something called “thermal runaway.”

“Lithium-ion batteries may go into thermal runaway in the absence of active fire,” reads a FEMA resource. “Thermal runaway can be recognized as distinct white or gray battery gas leaking from the structure and forming low-hanging clouds. If there is a suspected case of something called “thermal runaway” in batteries, and there are no indicators of a concurrent fire, a structure should not be approached or entered to take gas meter measurements. In all cases when lithium-ion thermal runaways are suspected, hose lines should be pre-deployed, charged and ready for operations before ventilation or entry.”

Wildfire Threats

Climate simulations are showing how just a half of a degree Fahrenheit change in global temperature can impact the amount of wildfire activity that we could see throughout the next few years.

As part of the recent conference, scientists looked at the impact of this in places like Amazon and northern Africa. One reason the wildfire expansion is concerning is that these fires tend to generate a lot of small particles called PM2.5. These particles can get embedded in the lungs and cause various kinds of health conditions. Those with certain respiratory conditions are at higher risk. This is something else to look out for in terms of long term air pollution.

Erosion and Dust Activity

Another big issue is the erosion of soil, and the movement of fine particles from wetland areas that have been dried out due to climate changes affecting the topography.

We talked recently about dry river beds, and how they can release clouds of toxins into the air that then move downwind.

Scientists are also looking at this phenomenon to see how it can be mitigated for human health.

In 2023, instead of having a full conference, the symposium held a focus meeting with different kinds of research projects that helped shed light on environmental toxins.

There was a look at “environmentally persistent, free radicals in household dust: longitudinal and seasonal trends.” Another component addressed “changes in soil microbiome and … environmentally persistent free radicals from a hazardous waste thermal treatment site.”

Scientists also talked about “inhalation of particulate matter and endothelial function” (related to the endothelium, an organ that lines all of your blood vessels and lymphatic vessels) and “impact of pollution on disease risk during a pandemic.”

The next international conference is planned for March 2025.

The bottom line is that many of these harmful items are contaminating the air around us.

We can work on reducing or eliminating them at the point of release, but we also have to look at how to protect ourselves as we see the fallout, from wildfires to factory pollution.

One way to do that is to clean the air inside your home with air monitors and air purifier machines.

You can use an air monitor to see the levels of contaminants inside your indoor air, and then place air purifier machines where they can do the most good for your health and the health of your family.

Using whole house systems or free standing air purifiers, you can improve the safety and livability of your home.

Ask US Air Purifiers LLC about what’s best for your particular response plan. We are knowledgeable about all of these machines, and different types of applicable technology, including probiotic systems, ultraviolet light features, or high heat systems, for example. Get the confidence you need in your home systems – and banish these harmful contaminants for good.