The Air (Quality) We Breathe

In 2015, Delhi was declared with a pollution emergency due to toxic air quality in the city. Due to air pollution, 1.2 million deaths of Indian citizens claimed a recent global study. This is into deterioration of air quality year by year. Household air pollution contributes about 25 per cent of the outdoor air. Hence, indoor air is much more dreadful than the outdoor air. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed that outdoors and household air pollution together are triggering deadly respiratory diseases.  

“Air pollution has made to third spot in the list of causes of death among all health risks, ranking just above smoking in India. It is the combined effect of outdoor PM 2.5, ozone and household air pollution. Due to this combined exposure, Indians are also dying early - their life expectancy has reduced by over 2.6 years. This surpasses the global tally by an average reduction of 20 months of life expectancy. While globally a child born today will die 20 months sooner on an average than would be expected without air pollution in India, they would die 2.6 years earlier," the report released by the CSE said.   

The main cause of air pollution is increased number of vehicles, deforestation, burning of coal and waste materials. And that for indoor air pollution is cooking, smoking, household cleaning products, furniture flame-retardants. These causes are leading to decrease in life expectancy by 2.6 years in India affirmed a study by an environment think tank.  

Respiratory disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for close to half of deaths that is 49 per cent followed by Lung cancer with 33 per cent, diabetes and ischaemic heart disease at 22 per cent and stroke at 15 per cent, asserted the report.  

"According to the study, ultra-fine particles pass through lungs are taken up by cells and carried via the bloodstream to expose virtually all cells in the body. Damaging every organ and eventually every cell in the human body is another aspect of air pollution, as resulted after a comprehensive new global review recently reported," the CSE said.   

Though Delhi is suffering the most, but this issue has been bothering other countries as well. While dealing with the problem, China built world’s biggest Air purifier also known as “Smog tower”. The tower is 100-meter long, located in the city of Xian in Shaanxi in northern China. This purifier was set up as an experiment to deal with the elevated air pollution level. The record shows the average reduction in PM 2.5, small pollutant, which penetrates in the respiratory system and causes the maximum damage to the body, fell 15 per cent during the experiment. Post-experimental results, China is planning to set up 500-meter long smog tower to tackle air pollution in the country.  

To this Jai Dhar Gupta, founder of Nirvana Being told BW Healthcareworld, “These measures do not reduce air pollution, in fact, there is no air purifier that can clean ambient air – the initiative in China was meant to create awareness about air pollution amongst the masses. Like what the odd-even scheme did in Delhi. Since our air is toxic about 300 days of the year, we need to have a lot more mass engagement measures that promote good behaviour and reduce pollutants and exposure”. 

Similarly, Indians have adopted air purifiers in their houses. It was a luxurious product earlier but with high pollution levels and degraded air quality; purifier has become a necessity of everyone. 200,000 purifier units were sold in India, according to Euromonitor.  

The ventilation techniques used in houses also traps pollutants contributing to indoor air pollution. In last three years, there has been increased demand of air purifiers by Indian population. Jai explains the need of air purifier in our houses. He told, “The level of black carbon nanoparticles, also known as PM2.5 is really high across India. These particles are formed by combustion leading to cancer. According to WHO, the safe level of PM2.5 is under 15ug/m3. A 24-hour exposure in an average level of 22ug/m3 is likened to smoking 1 cigarette. Delhi’s annual average level is 2016 was 143ug/m3 – so, essentially every person living in Delhi NCR smoked 6.5 cigarettes per day through the year, just by breathing. We inhale 12,000 litres of air daily, 24,000 breaths daily of about 0.5 litres each. So, we clearly are what we breathe”.  

He also mentions Children are at the greatest risk from exposure to air pollution. Even a newborn has smokers' lungs with our high levels of black carbon nanoparticles. Also, children are always playing and jumping, so their air intake is higher. And to deal with it, he suggests, “Schools must rise to this challenge and work tirelessly not only to respond to a respiratory emergency but also put in procedures to reduce the exposure of children. Clear protocols must be established to suspend play and activity outdoors, once the air quality is poor”. 

This mushroom in demand has called for increased supply, encouraging the manufacturers to provide better air quality with the help of air purifier. It not just improves air quality but also removes bad odour from the indoor air and keeps the home fresh. Purifiers are beneficial for asthma patients, children with under developed immune systems and pollutant susceptible pregnant women. Filter in air purifier removes the tiny allergens and pollutants that are not seen by naked eyes of human. This technology is called as high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) or ozone technology.  

But Gupta says, “All air purifiers are not created equal – since most were created for a London, Paris or Singapore environment where the PM2.5 levels rarely exceed 100ug/m3, they are ineffective in India. Our PM2.5 levels are so high that we need an ULPA (Ultra Low Particle Arrestor) air purifier with a medical grade HEPA for the nanoparticles and 2-3 kg of activated carbon for the odours and gases.  Most machines available in India will work well from April – September when the PM2.5 levels are lower, however, they will fail to bring the levels down sufficiently in the months from October – March, when our ambient levels are off the charts”. 

On asking about the governments’ initiative, Jai says, “So far, one has not seen any steps from the Government that inspire confidence. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) includes emergency steps to reduce pollution once it hits alarming levels. The same was launched for NCR, however, has been behind the ball and ineffective”.  

He added, “Central Government has launched the National Clean Air Program (NCAP), which is focusing on increased monitoring across India and aims to reduce air pollution levels by 30% over the next 5 years. With an absence of concrete steps, this plan fails to inspire confidence. My sense is that Citizens, as well as Government, have failed to engage with this health emergency. The citizens don’t realise that in India Government only gets empowered to act once something becomes a vote bank issue. I don’t see any reversal in the near future. In fact, the upcoming Delhi election is a significant opportunity for the residents of Delhi to express their views and stand up to improve their quality of life. Other Countries have reversed air pollution by simple measures like incentivising good behaviour and penalising bad behaviour. For example, tax polluting diesel vehicles and use the same money to subsidise electric vehicles”. 

Lastly, he said, “I expect every home that has a water purifier to have air purifiers in each room. I don’t see any other option for the foreseeable future. We (Nirvana Being) stand for scientific, sustainable solutions, that are proven and certified Globally”. 

Air purifiers have become an essential family member for many. Benefits offered by the air purifiers are improving the quality of air breathed in lungs. Some might believe the advertisements of air purifiers are purely marketing gimmick. But the elevated results of Air Quality Index (AQI) cannot lie. It has reached within the range of 200-300 which depicts the air quality is poor in Delhi. Due to poor air quality, there are an increased number of respiratory disease patients reaching the hospitals. Even the infants are being affected with respiratory disorders at such an early stage of life. It is high time that the government of India should take some significant actions to save lives of people in the country. Being a citizen of India, expecting a healthy lifestyle is not a big thing to ask for.