Will Technology Save Us from Air Pollution?

According to my computer's built-in dictionary, technology can be defined as "the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry". Of course, depending on your view of Angry Birds, social networking, memes and other "technologies" that seem to waste so much of our time, the argument can be made that we don't really care if our technology is practical anymore.

But speaking of technology, what more practical use of it could be found than the improvement of human health? Or the saving (or extending) of human life? For these reasons, we've long looked to science or technology to save us from ourselves.

In the context of preventing or improving air pollution, technology is a mixed bag. Some really smart people are doing some amazing things to help with pollution. Check out Tesla's video on how their Model X uses Bioweapon Defense Mode (how's that for a name?) to lower the air pollution inside the cabin:

Watch air pollution levels inside Model X drastically drop when we turn on Bioweapon Defense Mode in Beijing pic.twitter.com/HLjyvj3H2C

— Tesla Motors (@TeslaMotors) May 3, 2016

But for every one of these success stories on technology solving problems, there's one or more stories of how it caused that problem in the first place. Few would argue that the automobile was a technological improvement over the bicycle, but does that it make a car better than a bicycle? Not if you consider the environmental angle; automobiles continue to be one of the biggest offenders when it comes to air pollution sources.

As another example, NASA and the Republic of Korea's National Institute of Environmental Research are making use of aircraft, satellites, ships and ground stations to monitor air quality across South Korea. An impressive use of technology, to be sure, but all of that technology is produced by industry. And, rightly or wrongly, what is industry famous for? Air pollution!

Am I saying that we shouldn't use technology in the fight against air pollution? No. Camfil APC uses all kinds of cool technology to make it easy to reduce pollution and keep employees safe in the workplace. But technology isn't a good substitute for human integrity. Until we as a society perform the mental shift needed to quit putting short-term goals ahead of long-term gains, technology will be of limited use.

We all have to do something if we don't want skies like this to be a thing of the past.

So let's not expect technology to make up for our poor environmental choices. Let's make smart short-term choices, like walking or riding a bike instead of using our cars for short trips. In short, let's do something about helping the environment, instead of waiting for technology to save us.

Improve Indoor Air Quality by Eliminating Contaminants

If you're going to improve the air you breathe, you definitely want to keep the air quality in your house at a high level. Of course, that's easier said than done. Our homes are a conglomeration of people, pets, materials, chemicals, and organic compounds, and keeping them clean can be a challenge.

Breathing air like this is not what we're after!

There are two main strategies for keeping any indoor air space clean: eliminate contaminants and provide sufficient ventilation. In this post, let's take a look at a few options for removing contaminants from the home.

Keep Floors Clean

Chemicals can build up over time in your home, and often wind up on the floor. The vacuum cleaner you use makes a difference. Ideally, you'll want a model with a HEPA filter, strong suction, and rotating brushes to keep dust from getting out of the vacuum exhaust back into the air.

Get your mop out for any hard-surface floors. You don't need to use chemicals; mopping with plain water will still remove allergens from the floor.

Place large floor mats at entrances to your home to lower the amount of dust and dirt tracked in. Prevent even more dirt in the house by asking everyone to take their shoes off before entering.

Dust Regularly

Dusting is no one's favorite chore, but neglecting it can negatively impact the air quality in your home. Use nontoxic cleaning products where possible. Plain vinegar is a good and inexpensive dusting agent, works on a wide variety of surfaces, and once it dries, leaves no odor behind. If you do decide to purchase dusting-specific cleaning agents, try to use products marked as "no VOC" or that have been certified as GREENGUARD or Green Seal.

Humidity

If the humidity's too high, you'll have a greater chance of mold and mildew in your home. Aim to keep the humidity level below 50%, and keep wet areas like bathrooms well ventilated. This not only prevents mold and mildew, but discourages dust mites and cockroaches, too. Fix any leaks in your roof or plumbing immediately and make sure to run your bathroom exhaust while showering or bathing.

A good-quality dehumidifier might be needed for certain areas of your home that are hard to keep dry, such as the basement. Make sure to purchase one that is the proper size for the area you're trying to keep dry.

Stop The Smoke

This is obvious, but if you're smoking, stop. The air in your home and your lungs will be much cleaner. Exercise caution with other sources of smoke in your home. If you use candles, make sure to purchase non-toxic versions. Wood-burning fireplaces can also negatively affect air quality, so use cured or dried wood, never the pressure-treated variety. Also make sure to keep the chimney and flue clean.

Use Natural Rather Than Synthetic Fragrances

It is common for commercial fragrances and fresheners to contain harmful pollutants. Instead of using these sprays, try simmering a pot of cinnamon and cloves on your stove top. Another option would be to use products that make use of essential oils rather than chemicals.

Launder Linens

Large pieces of fabric such as drapes, shower curtains, and bedding can harbor dust mites and allergens. It's best to wash in water exceeding 130° F. Make sure to wash new linens before using them so you won't be exposed to chemicals left over from the manufacturing process.

Start Small

Of course, these are just a few of the many things you can do to improve the air quality in your home or office. Set the goal of implementing just one of these today. Small steps in keeping the air we breathe clean lead to large milestones in reducing pollution throughout the world!

Every Breath We Take – The Life Cycle Cost of Air Pollution

A new report issued by the Royal College of Physicians states that the health impact of Britain’s air pollution is far more serious than previously thought. It states that UK air pollution is the cause of up to 40,000 premature deaths a year. The report also concludes that in addition to the negative effects on health, air pollution also creates very high costs for society and business.

The report highlights the fact that air pollution causes damage throughout lifetime, from a baby’s first weeks in the womb all the way through to old age. For example, lung function naturally develops throughout childhood, now there is clear evidence that long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution suppresses this process. Air pollution is also linked to the development of asthma and cardiovascular diseases in adults (heart disease and strokes). The most vulnerable groups include people in low income areas, those with other health issues such as obesity, heart and lung conditions as well as the elderly and the young.

The report presents an historical overview of air pollution. The London smog of 1952 also referred to as the “Big Smoke” killed 12,000 people. Today’s older generations who were brought up in the 1940s-1950s were exposed to soot and sulphur dioxide from coal burning, in the 1960s-1980s carbon monoxide and emissions from leaded petrol were the pollutants of concern. Today’s children inhale nitrogen dioxide and sub-micron particles, so called PM1 from diesel-fueled vehicles.

The fact that air pollution and climate change are intertwined is also underscored in the report. In other words, many strategies to decrease air pollution are also effective in slowing down climate change. One way to achieve these dual goals is to use energy more efficiently.

What can we do as individuals to protect our health and the environment in a sustainable way? Although it is difficult for us to limit our exposure to outdoor pollution, we can do a lot to improve indoor air. Since we spend most of our time inside buildings, indoor air quality is crucial to our health. Pollution found inside a building is a cocktail of outdoor air pollutants and indoor pollutants such as, tobacco smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and biological pollutants.

Historically; research, government recommendations and consequently public awareness has been limited to airborne particles labelled PM10 and PM2.5 (smaller than 10 microns and smaller than 2.5 microns). However the latest research now indicates that the focus should be put on even smaller particles, those that are 1 micron or smaller in diameter. This is because smaller particles pass the natural barriers in the human body such as nasal hairs and mucus films in the upper respiratory tract and penetrate deep into the fine structure of the lungs where they enter the bloodstream and get distributed around the entire human body.

It is noteworthy that a new international standard for classification of air filters (ISO16890), due for ratification later in 2016 will require that the efficiency of the filter against PM1 be assessed and reported. Camfil strongly supports this development. It is a certain way to ensure appropriate high efficiency air filters are used to provide protection of human health from very fine particles.

Many industry articles on how proper dust and fume collection techniques can protect you, your employees and your business in a factory environment can be found here.

Five Musts for Dusts: Dust Collection System Design Tips

Contained dust collection equipment is used in pharmaceutical facilities for a variety of reasons, from environmental compliance and employee health and safety to preventing cross-contamination of materials in multi-product manufacturing facilities.

Given these concerns, and the fact that many pharmaceutical dusts are potent and/or hazardous, contained dust collection systems are found in the majority of pharmaceutical processing facilities today. Such systems typically use safe-change containment for both the filter cartridges (bag-in/bag-out) and the discharge system underneath the collector (continuous liner technology).

By David Steil, pharmaceutical market manager, Camfil Air Pollution Control

Extreme Smog Over China Seen from Space

Images captured by NASA's Terra Satellite in December show why it's more important than ever to control air pollution in China and throughout the world.

Haze over China as captured by MODIS (image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response.)

China suffered another severe bout of air pollution in December 2013. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image on December 7, 2013, thick haze stretched from Beijing to Shanghai, a distance of about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles). For comparison, that is about the distance between Boston, Massachusetts, and Raleigh, North Carolina. The brightest areas are clouds or fog. Polluted air appears gray. While northeastern China often faces outbreaks of extreme smog, it is less common for pollution to spread so far south.