Air pollution is a mixture of
solid particles and gases in the air released both by natural and anthropogenic
sources. Natural sources includes volcano eruption, soil erosion, wildfire,
pollen and mold spores and volatile organic particles evaporation of mountain
and sea salts due to high temperature. Anthropogenic sources includes traffic
vehicle emissions, chemicals from factories, fumes of volatile organic compounds
from hair spray, varnish, air freshener, body spray and other solvents,
chemicals from fertilizers,controlled burn particles from agriculture and
forests, hazardous waste gases from incineration and military weapon
utilization.
It may cause diseases, allergies and even death to humans; it may also cause
harm to other wildlife and food crops, and may damage the natural or built
environment.Some air pollutants are poisonous. Inhaling them can increase the
chance of ill health problems. People with heart or lung disease, aged adults
and children are at higher risk from air pollution. Air pollution isn't just
outside - the air inside buildings can also be polluted and affect your health.
Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million
deaths (11.6% of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air
pollution together.
Under developed and middle income countries are highly affected due to air
pollution due to lack of protection barriers. Nearly 90% of
air-pollution-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with
nearly 2 out of 3 occurring in WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific
regions.
Ninety-four per cent are due to noncommunicable diseases – notably
cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung
cancer. Air pollution also increases the risks for critical respiratory
infections. Even in the areas with relatively low levels of air pollution,
public health effects can be significant and costly, since a large number of
people breathe in such pollutants.
Air pollution is responsible for one in nine deaths worldwide, and touches
everyone -- 92% of the human race live in places that do not meet World Health
Organization air quality guidelines. This notorious developing cloud of
pollution has catapulted air pollution towards the top of the list of avoidable
risk factors for ill health, with an unacceptably high burden of disease.
Climate change is a global phenomenon, its impacts not restricted to local place
but in fact spread all over the world even to northern areas where population is
very low. Climate change is affecting the health of living beings. As the
climate continues to change, the risks to human health will grow, exacerbating
existing health threats and creating new public health challenges. This
assessment significantly advances what we know about the impacts of climate
change on public health, and the confidence with which we know it. it has very
local impacts that can profoundly affect communities, not the least of which is
air pollution.
Increasing temperatures are directly linked to poor air quality which, in turn,
can affect the heart and exacerbate cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
Due to outside bad air condition inner air situation is also not safe. in 1984,
a World Health Organization report on Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) suggested
that up to 30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be linked to
symptoms of SBS due to inner impure air conditions. Syndrome causes are
frequently pinned down to flaws in the heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC) systems. Other causes have been attributed to contaminants
produced from the off-gassing of some types of building materials, volatile
organic compounds (VOC), molds, light industrial chemicals used within an office
or home, or improper fresh-air intake location/lack of adequate air filtration.