How does air pollution affect your health?
As we approach World Health Day, we would like to focus on air pollution and how it impacts people’s health. Did you know that 7 million people die prematurely because of air pollution? And a recent report shows that not a single country in the world meets WHO’S new standards for air quality in 2021.
Clean air is vital for every human being. Each day, we draw 20 000 breaths and breaths in approximately 24 kg of air each day, compared to 1 kg of food and 2 litres of water.
No country met WHO’S new standards for air quality in 2021
Unfortunately, 99% of the people in the world breath polluted air. In fact, not a single country met WHO’S new standards for air quality in 2021. In addition to the particles PM2.5 and PM10, the organization now also measures nitrogen dioxide, a hazardous substance caused by combustion in for example traffic, burning fossil fuels, food production, welding, and other industrial processes.
Small particles reach the bloodstream
People breathe in approximately 11,000 liters of air every day, even more when we exert ourselves, as our breathing rate increases. Combustion particles and other particles smaller than PM2.5 and gases reach all the way to the lungs, where they spread to the bloodstream, affecting our bodies and our health.
7 million premature deaths per year
Air pollution is the main environmental threat to human health. According to WHO, every hear, around 7 million die prematurely from exposure to polluted air. Primarily from cardiovascular diseases, followed by lung-related diseases such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Links have also been reported to diabetes, dementia, premature birth, asthma, obesity, and concentration difficulties.
Air pollution accumulates indoors
Unfortunately, outdoor pollution accumulates in the indoor air, together with the particles that are generated indoors. As a result, indoor air can be up to 50 times more polluted than outdoor air. To make matters even worse, we spend approximately 90 % of our life indoors. As per today, there are no adequate regulations in place for indoor air. And contrary to popular belief, a ventilation system is no guarantee for good indoor air quality. The ventilation system is primarily intended to supply the premises with oxygen from the outdoors. It does not filtrate the air from small particles.
Curious about your air quality?
Fortunately, there are ways to make your workplace a healthier environment. QleanAir have been developing freestanding air cleaning solutions since over 30 years. We can help you asses your indoor air quality and find a good solution if needed.