Why Are Commercial Air Filtration Systems Needed in Cruise Ships?

Learn why the indoor air quality in cruise ships is dangerous to human health, and find out how commercial air filtration systems could fix the issue.

Maritime Industry News – According to an undercover report released on January 24, 2019, cruise ships produce significant amounts of air pollution, so much so that they could endanger the health and safety of passengers and crew. If anything, this highlights the need for cruise ships to have commercial air filtration systems that purify the air in common areas and cabins inside the ship.

Why Air Quality on Cruise Ships Is So Bad

The report, titled “An investigation of air pollution on the decks of 4 cruise ships,” also brought attention to the effect that air pollution from cruise ships have on communities near ports. (1)

Over a two-year period, researchers monitored the air quality on the decks of four cruise ships, discovering that concentrations of particulate matter (PM) were comparable to the PM levels in countries with the worst air pollution, including Beijing, China and Santiago, Chile. It’s worth noting that in 2015, the Chilean government declared a state of environmental emergency after the air pollution in the capital city of Santiago reached dangerous levels. Likewise, the smog events in Beijing have prompted Chinese officials to finally take action against its air quality woes. (2)

According to Ryan Kennedy, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and report’s co-authors, ship exhaust contains a toxic cocktail of airborne pollutants, including metal compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which contain cancer-causing properties.

“These airborne pollutants are dangerous to human health, to say the least,” notes Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “The worst offender is perhaps fine particulate matter, which is small and light enough to stay suspended in the air for hours, increasing their likelihood of being inhaled.”

What Indoor Air Quality in the Four Cruise Ships is Like

Kennedy and his fellow researchers took air quality measurements on the decks of the Carnival Liberty, which sails from Florida to the Bahamas; Carnival Freedom, which sails from Texas to the Caribbean; Holland America MS Amsterdam, which sails from Vancouver to Los Angeles; and Princess Cruises Emerald Princess, which sails from Los Angeles to Mexico. All four ships were found to have produced high concentrations of fine PM, which can easily affect indoor air quality inside the ships.

Without informing Carnival Corp. or each of the ships’ crew, Kennedy and his team took air quality measurements using a P-TRAK Ultrafine Particle Counter while each ship was at port and moving at sea. Unsurprisingly, the highest PM concentrations were consistently found behind the smokestack at the rear of the ship. The types of particulate matter found ranged between 0.02 and 1.0 microns in diameter—known as ultrafine and fine PM.

“Below PM_2.5, particles are more harmful because they penetrate deeper into the lung alveoli,” Seyffer points out. “They cross blood vessels walls and can diffuse into the blood circulation to reach and affect organ function.”

Use of Dirty Heavy Oil Demands Use of HEPA Air Filtration Systems

According to Kendra Ulrich, senior shipping campaigner at Stand.earth, an international environmental organization that commissioned the report, Kennedy’s findings on board were shocking. The findings are especially concerning as the stern area, or the back of the ship, is often where running tracks, swimming pools, or outdoor lounge areas are located, which means that passengers in these areas could very well be inhaling all the pollution while engaging in leisure activities. As to why the four cruise ships are particularly polluting, Ulrich points to the fact that Carnival Corp. uses heavy fuel oil, an unrefined fuel long criticized for being high in sulfur. Not surprisingly, some homes and buildings on the fenceline of shipping channels have had to turn to high efficiency air filtration systems to protect their occupants from air pollution.

Fortunately, the global maritime industry is cognizant of the environmental and health impact of burning fuel oil, particularly bunker fuel. Beginning January 1, 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will require all fuels used in ships to have no more than 0.5 percent sulfur—a significant reduction from the current standard of 3.5 percent and well below the industry average of 2.7 percent sulfur content.

According to public health experts, the 2020 sulfur cap should prevent an estimated 150,000 premature deaths and 7.6 million cases of childhood asthma around the world each year.

Cruise Ships Are Not the Only Reason to Install Commercial High Efficiency Air Filters

According to Megan King, a spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industry plays just a small part in the problem of maritime air pollution. She points to container shipping, as well as other types of tourism, as contributing factors to marine air pollution. If anything, this only bolsters the need to install commercial high efficiency air filters in maritime facilities and ships.

King also pointed out that the international cruise industry has already invested $1 billion in cleaner fuels and new technologies to reduce the air pollution emissions of cruise ships.

On the other hand, Carnival Corp. asserted that its cruises are coordinated with national and international regulatory agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure the safety of guests and crew, and that tests of the company’s emissions meet or exceed all regulatory requirements.

Why PM Pollution Requires Installation of Commercial HEPA Filter Air Purifiers

This is only the latest report adding to the growing body of literature discussing the damaging health effects of PM. The good news is that solutions like commercial HEPA filter air purifiers are capable of capturing particles, including ultrafines, from inside indoor spaces. These systems, however, don’t address the actual source of PM.

Kennedy points out that ultrafine particles are particularly dangerous because they are small enough to interact with the human body’s cells, which can have adverse health outcomes if the particles contain something toxic, like lead, metal compounds or other cancer-causing particulate. And while anyone can be affected by PM pollution, individuals with existing health conditions, such as asthma and cardiovascular disease, are most at risk of suffering serious illness.

PM consists of microscopic solid particles and liquid droplets light enough to stay suspended in the air. While some particles can settle to solid surfaces, the majority will stay in the air for hours, increasing their likelihood of being inhaled. When this happens, PM can damage the heart and lungs—this is especially true for fine PM₁ or PM_2.5.

Work with Reliable Industrial Air Filter Manufacturers and Distributors

If you are considering installing commercial air filter systems in ships, port terminals, or maritime buildings, be sure to work with a reliable industrial air filter manufacturer or distributor that can help you figure out your immediate air quality needs and challenges.

For over 50 years, Camfil USA has manufactured commercial air filtration systems specifically designed to address the air quality issues of airports, commercial buildings, industrial facilities, and healthcare sites among others. For port buildings, we recommend MERV 13 particulate air filters in the central station HVAC systems or rooftop air handling systems for high-level protection against fine particulate matter. Carbon air filtration systems can then be used to address fumes from diesel and fuel oil, as well as odors, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and exhaust associated with heavy equipment.

To learn more about our commercial air filtration systems for the maritime industry, get in touch with Camfil USA today.

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

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Source:

1. https://www.stand.earth/sites/default/files/2019-an-investigation-of-air-pollution-on-the-decks-of-4-cruise-ships.pdf
2. http://time.com/3930737/santiago-air-pollution-emergency/

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Using Portable Air Purifiers to Protect Heart Health

Do America’s Cleanest Cities Still Need High Efficiency Air Filters?

Learn why homes and buildings in America’s best cities in terms of both outdoor and indoor air quality still need high efficiency air filters.

According to the American Lung Association’s ‘State of the Air’ report for 2018, air quality across much of the United States has been on a positive upward trend thanks in large part to the success of the Clean Air Act. In fact, the cities on the ALA’s list of cleanest cities for ozone and short-term levels of particulate matter showed “no days with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution.” Be that as it may, residents in these cities can still benefit from the protection of home air filters.

“Indoor air pollution is made of internally generated contaminants and outdoor air pollutants, including heating and traffic particles and gases that infiltrate into our buildings,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Items of consideration include chemical emissions from building materials, DIY products, cleaning products, air fresheners, combustion particles from heating, cooking and candles, pet allergens, electronics, and appliance off-gassing.”

Basically, even if the air outside is clean, many indoor home environments can still have high concentrations of airborne contaminants, hence the need for air purification.

Which Cities Offer the Best Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality?

The State of the Air report identifies the following cities for being most likely to have the best outdoor and indoor air quality due to low year-round particle pollution:

1. Cheyenne, WY
2. Urban Honolulu, HI
3. Casper, WY
4. Bismarck, ND
5. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
6. Pueblo-Canon City, CO
7. Elmira-Corning, NY
8. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
9. Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
10. Wenatchee, WA

The ALA, however, notes that there are different types of air pollution. For example, while Fairbanks, Alaska is one of the cleanest cities in terms of ozone pollution, it is actually the worst when it comes to particle pollution. This disparity is due to the number of homes in the city that rely on burning wood for cooking and heating.

As for why these cities have clean air? It’s actually a combination of factors. Hawaii, for example, has a lot going for it; the combination of abundant wind and run, plus the absence of big industry means that air quality tends to be better the whole year round as compared to an industrialized city in the East Coast.

Cities That Need HEPA Filtration Systems

On the other hand, the cities where homes and buildings seriously need high efficiency filtration systems are mostly concentrated in California, where wildfires and high traffic volume have combined to create poor ambient air quality. Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, Modesto, and Redding take the top spots on the dirtiest air list, even as California officials race to pass measures to make air safe and clean to breathe.

In the case of Los Angeles-Long Beach, which, according to the ALA, continues to suffer from the worst ozone pollution in the country, the ALA report’s findings at least have a silver lining. It shows that over the past few years, Los Angeles’s efforts to improve its air have finally shown results, albeit at a snail’s pace. From once being the worst, Los Angeles now ranks fourth for year-round particle pollution and seventh for 24-hour particulate matter pollution.

Ozone Pollution and Home Air Purifiers

Yet even homes in cities with relatively clean air may soon find a need for home air purifiers, what with the ALA report suggesting how warmer temperatures caused by climate change can increase the likelihood of ground-level ozone forming in the atmosphere. In addition, it may be harder to clean up ozone.

At high concentrations, ozone can be especially dangerous to children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions. It’s no small wonder given that ozone is a primary component of smog and acid rain.

This year’s report found that across most of the United States, ozone levels increased, due in large part to high temperatures in 2016—the second hottest year on record in US history. If nothing is done to curb climate change, all the hard work in decades past to clean up sources of emissions that create ozone may come undone.

Removing Particle Pollution with Home Air Filtration Systems

The good news is that nationwide, the best progress in this year’s State of the Air report came from lower levels of year-round particle pollution, which includes black carbon, commonly known as soot, from cars, diesel trucks, power generation facilities, and wood-burning devices. Still, homeowners can’t afford to be complacent—home air filtration systems can go a long way toward maintaining healthy indoor environments that are free of dust, mold, mildew, and allergens.

Choosing Home Air Purification Systems

Remember, when choosing home air purification systems, you often get what you pay for when you choose bargain filters. To remove both particulate and gaseous pollutants two filter stages are required, seek air purifiers that use HEPA and carbon replacement filter modules.  Stick to high-quality air filters from a reliable manufacturer, who can assess the air quality needs of the home before recommending an ideal air filtration solution.

At Camfil USA, we have nearly 50 years of experience keeping the air inside homes and buildings clean and safe to breathe. Get in touch with our team to learn more about the different ways to protect your home or building’s indoor air quality against air pollution. You may also explore our catalog of industrial and commercial air filters to learn more about our product line.

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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Why Loosened Power Plant Emissions Standards Could Drive Demand for Air Filters

The EPA is reconsidering a rule against toxic emissions from power plants. Learn how this could impact indoor air quality and drive demand for residential, commercial and industrial air filters.

Environmental Policy News – In August this past year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would be revisiting a rule designed to control air pollution emissions from power plants, specifically, one that places strict limits on the release of mercury and other toxic pollutants into the air. If the agency pushes through with a rollback of this rule, it could drive increased demand for residential, industrial, and commercial air filters, especially among industrial and commercial buildings located close to power generation facilities.

The announcement came barely a week after the EPA announced a proposal to change regulations for greenhouse gas emissions produced by power plants, which would give individual states more discretion to set their own targets for reducing greenhouse gases rather than impose a federal goal.

For years, the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule has required power generation facilities to limit their emissions of toxic pollutants such as mercury, arsenic and other metallic elements. Now the agency has stated it would send a draft explaining a policy change to loosen this rule to the White House, which, in effect, would begin the review process.

“Power plants that depend on the burning of fossil fuels are a concern for the environment and health of the public,” points out Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “The process generates hydrocarbon gases, volatile organic compounds, and impurities such as mercaptans, sulfur oxides, mercury, and arsenic.

EPA Looking into Impact of Mercury and Other Pollutants on Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality

According to EPA spokeswoman Molly Block, the agency is evaluating whether any standards limiting the emission of mercury and other pollutants by power plants are appropriate and necessary at the federal level. Critics, however, argue that rolling back these regulations would affect outdoor and indoor air quality, putting millions of Americans at risk of developing respiratory disease and heart problems.

Block added that the EPA will also re-evaluate the benefits associated with reducing toxic pollutants that are not explicitly the subject of the rule at hand, known as co-benefits. The agency has already proposed changes to what it considers are secondary benefits under the Trump administration.

For example, under the Obama administration, the EPA had considered the advantages of cutting air pollution emissions that would reduce smog levels under the Clean Power Plan as being co-benefits. The Trump administration has since proposed replacing the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy rule, a controversial program that has been accused of allowing automakers and power plants to increase their air pollution emissions that contribute to smog and premature deaths.

The EPA, however, defended the rule, arguing that it only focuses on greenhouse gases and that other types of air pollution are covered under other environmental regulations.

EPA Already Making Progress Toward Easing Dependence on High Efficiency Filtration Systems

Senator Tom Carper (D-Del), a ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, quickly sent a letter to the EPA following the announcement asking the agency not to change this emissions rule. Carper pointed out that it has already made great progress in reducing levels of airborne pollutants, potentially saving thousands of lives, more so if combined with the use of high efficiency filtration systems at home.

Carper added that the decision to re-evaluate the rule is particularly irresponsible, as toxic pollutants like mercury and arsenic are known to pose serious health risks, especially on children, expecting mothers, individuals with existing conditions, and the elderly.

In a statement, Carper reiterated that the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Rule is exceeding expectations and that changing it would be the height of government irresponsibility. He added that he had repeatedly warned the Trump Administration not to touch MATS, which receives widespread support from environmental groups, health organizations, state governments, businesses, and a bipartisan group of legislators.

What Does This Mean for the Air Purifier Industry?

If the EPA rescinds the MATS Rule, the air purifier industry may have to face increased demand for air filter systems as concerns over air pollution levels from power plants rise.

It should also be noted that MATS is not the only rule the EPA is considering changing. Earlier this year, the agency announced it is considering a rollback of vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards implemented under the Obama Administration, which set the recommended fuel economy at 54.5 miles per gallon until 2025. Aside from reducing air pollution emissions, this would also limit carbon emissions and slow down climate change.

The EPA announcement was slammed for being part of a greater effort by the Trump administration to ease emissions regulations on the auto manufacturing industry, which has long protested the strict regulation for forcing them to make trucks, vans, and SUVs equipped with cleaner, but more expensive engine technology.

By rolling back fuel standards for cars and trucks, however, the federal government may find itself in conflict with states like California, which has already turned to a special waiver that allows it to independently set stricter air pollution rules. According to state officials, the EPA’s proposed rollback is all but guaranteed to worsen the already severe air pollution in the country’s major cities.

In recent years, California has been on an aggressive campaign to solve its air pollution woes. In the latest State of the Air report by the American Lung Association, eight out of the 10 cities with the worst air pollution are in California.

Preparing for Smog with Home Air Filtration Systems

The most common manifestation of air pollution caused by power plants as well as mobile sources like cars and trucks is smog. Smog contains all kinds of toxic solid and liquid particles, chemical gases, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), all of which can easily penetrate and linger in homes without home air filtration systems.

“Long-term exposure to particulate matter can induce respiratory disease and reduce heart function,” said Seyffer . “PM_2.5 is especially dangerous as these pollutants are small enough to enter the smallest airways of the lungs and cross into the bloodstream, reaching vital organs.”

Choosing Commercial and Home Air Purification Systems

Concerns over air quality have prompted home and building owners to turn to commercial and home air purification systems to prevent smog particles, exhaust fumes, and other airborne pollutants from circulating inside indoor spaces. While most people think that the simplest thing they can do during times when ambient air quality is particularly bad is to stay indoors, even a sealed home can have gaps and cracks for air pollution to enter.

Furthermore, this ignores the fact that air pollution in homes and buildings also comes from indoor sources such as cooking, heating, and lighting, as well as materials like furniture, paints, varnishes, and cleaning products. Even the soil can produce radon—a toxic gas second only to cigarette smoke as the leading cause of lung cancer.

As long as air pollution continues to be a problem, the demand for home air filters will also be there. We recommend working with a reliable air filter vendor or manufacturer to first understand your contaminant problems and measure the size of your rooms or home to arrive at the best possible air filter solution for the job.

At Camfil USA, we take our job of protecting families and workers from air pollution seriously. Talk to our team to learn more about our commercial air filtration systems and high efficiency air filters, or browse our extensive product catalog to order any of our air filter systems.

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

Source:

1. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/epa-revisit-air-pollution-rule-power-plants/story?id=57487433
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/29/climate/epa-cafe-auto-pollution-rollback.html

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Solving Pollution-Related Deaths with Higher Air Filter Efficiency

Can High Efficiency Air Filters Make You Live Longer?

What Can an Ancient City Teach Us About Home Air Filters?

Learn why Macedonia is struggling with an outdoor/indoor air quality crisis and why home air filters are needed in cities struggling with air pollution.

With a history dating back to 4,000 B.C., Skopje is one of the oldest cities in the world. Today, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia lives on, but it now faces a problem unlike any it has seen before: air pollution. Indeed, Skopje bears the distinction of having the worst air pollution in all of Europe, forcing citizens to protect themselves with home air filters when staying indoors. In fact, data from the World Health Organization reveals that in 2017, three out of the top 10 cities with the worst air quality are in Macedonia, prompting authorities to take emergency measures to fight uncontrolled air pollution levels in the country. Sadly, these efforts have yet to have any real effect.

It’s estimated that more than 1,300 premature deaths per year happen in the Macedonian capital due to air pollution exposure. Particulate matter (PM) pollution is of special concern to health officials in the country.

Understanding Skopje’s Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality Problems

PM levels in the atmosphere above Skopje have been observed to be more than 10 times higher than the air quality guidelines set by the European Union. This includes coarse particulate matter, or PM10 (10 microns and less in diameter), and fine particulate matter, or PM2.5 (2.5 microns) and below. Fine particle pollution is especially dangerous as these pollutants are small and light enough to stay suspended in the air for hours, often entering homes and buildings through gaps and cracks on doors, walls and windows. In poorly ventilated spaces, PM can dramatically affect indoor air quality.

“Outdoor air pollution infiltrates into buildings,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Without appropriate ventilation, it accumulates and can even react with other indoor air pollutants.”

Frequent Inversions in Skopje Underscore Importance of Air Filtration Systems

Macedonian authorities are facing an uphill battle as Skopje’s land-locked and mountainous topography makes it difficult to protect people from air pollution. In the winter months, the winds that would otherwise help disperse the smog that hangs over the city slows down, and a warm layer of air high in the atmosphere pushes down cool and contaminated air into the Skopje valley. This causes air pollution from cars, trucks, power plants, and industrial facilities to build up into a foul-smelling haze that people can actually see, leaving them no choice but to stay indoors under the safety of their air filtration systems.

This phenomenon, known as an atmospheric inversion, happens around the world, sometimes with disastrous results. One such catastrophe occurred in 1948 in Donora, a borough in Pennsylvania, which left 27 people dead in a single weekend and twice as many in the weeks that followed. The incident is known today as the 1948 Donora Smog and was caused by high air pollution emissions from a zinc and steel factory and atmospheric inversion.

Home Air Purifiers a Luxury in Skopje

Air pollution is so rampant in Skopje and the rest of Macedonia that many citizens are forced to buy home air purifiers to prevent themselves and their families from breathing in dirty air. But these devices are a luxury—the average air purifier costs around 400 euros, nearly the average monthly salary.

Sadly, authorities in the country can’t seem to figure out how to solve Macedonia’s air pollution problem. In fact, previous administrations were ousted because of their inability to safeguard both the people and the environment from unregulated industrialization.

The administrations that followed have promised dramatic environmental reform, and while some of these plans are now in action, few, seem to have made any noticeable impact on air quality.  

Capturing PM with High Efficiency Filtration Systems

With particulate matter (PM) being the primary pollutant of concern in Skopje, high efficiency filtration systems could very well be the key to protecting people as they stay inside homes, schools, hospitals, and other buildings. PM is mostly generated by fuel combustion cars, trucks, ships, power plants, and industrial facilities—the same factors happening at a massive and uncontrolled scale in Skopje.

High efficiency filters are specifically designed to capture down into the sub-micron range. When attached to an existing HVAC system, a high efficiency filter acts like a sieve, trapping particles carried by the air as it moves through the ductwork. For compromised individuals, those with asthma or other respiratory type ailments, a room air purifier incorporating a HEPA filter is an excellent choice. These units will be at least 99.97% efficient on particles as small as 0.3 micron.  

Home Air Purification Systems Are Needed Everywhere

Skopje’s air pollution woes may seem like an outlying case, but the reality is that air pollution is a far more common problem than most people think, affecting major cities in the United States including Los Angeles, Denver, Salt Lake City, and New York. If anything, this proves that air pollution is a universal problem and that everyone needs a home air purification system.

Camfil USA has been the industry leader in commercial air filtration and residential air filters for over 50 years. To learn more about how home air filters can improve indoor air quality in buildings and homes, get in touch with the team here at Camfil USA. You may also browse through our product catalog to explore our solutions yourself.

 

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

Source:

1. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/datablog/2017/feb/13/most-polluted-cities-world-listed-region

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How Did Air Pollution Become A Public Health Crisis?

Learn why air pollution has grown to become a huge public health crisis and how clean indoor air quality courtesy of home air filters can mitigate the problem.

If you thought we had already solved the problem of air pollution with the passing of the Clean Air Act, think again. Air pollution seems to be on the rise, forcing homeowners and families indoors to consider the protection of high efficiency home air filters. And contrary to popular belief, it’s not just cars and trucks that are filling our cities with particle pollution and all kinds of toxic fumes.

So why exactly has air pollution grown to become such an issue?

Solving the Health Crisis of Air Pollution with Home Air Filters

“All human life depends on the ability to breathe,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “The average person breathes 11,000 liters a day and approximately 265 million liters of air throughout their entire lifespan.”

That’s a lot of air going through the lungs every minute of the day. So, it’s no surprise why walking through a busy street filled with cars also means breathing millions of particles in a single lungful.

The problem has become so bad that toxic air has been identified by organizations like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as the biggest environmental risk of premature death, responsible for one in nine of all deaths around the world.

In fact, air pollution, whether from outdoor or indoor sources, claims over million lives a year—far more than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined. Dr. Maria Neira, WHO Director of the Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, went so far as to call it a “global public health emergency.”

Indoor Air Quality Just as Important as Ambient Air Quality

While most discussions about air pollution are centered on ambient or outdoor air quality, air pollution that comes from indoor sources is just as harmful to human health. In fact, poor indoor air quality as a result of cooking with solid fuels is responsible for 3.8 million deaths every year, or around 7.7 percent of the global mortality, according to the WHO.

The burning of solid fuels like dung, coal and wood in open hearths or inefficient cookstoves produces a wide range of hazardous pollutants, including:

• Methane
• Carbon monoxide
• Particulate matter (PM)
• Hydrocarbons
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Even the burning of kerosene in wick lamps produces toxic fine particulate matter and other types of pollutants from the combustion process.

“Particulate matter (PM) is a particularly dangerous airborne pollutant,” says Seyffer. “Several studies have proven a direct correlation between PM exposure and negative health effects ranging from asthma, increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and even diabetes of all things.”

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5 which is particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, pose a serious health concern because they can reach deep into the small alveoli of the lungs where oxygen exchanges with carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. In fact, these particles can be carried by the blood and make their way into the body’s tissues and vital organs, causing all kinds of systemic health effects.

Exposure to indoor air pollution increases the risk of adverse health impacts in both adults and children, ranging from respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), to cancer, eye problems, and even neurodegenerative disease.

The Cost of Air Pollution Raises Need for Home Air Purifiers

The damage to health and loss of life caused by air pollution also presents a significant economic burden, making commercial and home air purifiers important in offices and other workplaces.

According to World Bank Report published in 2016, poor air quality was cited as the cause of more than $225 billion in lost labor income in 2013 alone. And if you adjust for welfare losses, the financial damage of air pollution adds up to $5.11 trillion per year, which the report notes is a serious wake-up call for government officials, business leaders, and healthcare professionals among others.

The dangers posed by air pollution are especially pronounced in the developing world, where the combination of rampant burning of solid fuels, construction activities, industrialization, and poor regulatory controls have led to major smog episodes that last days, sometimes weeks at a time.

This isn’t to say that air pollution is a new phenomenon. We’re aware that dirty air isn’t good for our health, yet no one lists air pollution exposure as the cause of death on their death certificate. It’s only been in recent decades that the damage of air pollution exposure has been made clear, proving that it is a public health crisis that is worse than previously thought.

Who Needs Home Air Purification Systems?

Almost everyone can benefit from having home air purification systems in their households. In fact, the WHO estimates that over 90 percent of the world’s population lives in areas where air pollution exceeds its air quality guidelines. As mentioned earlier, the problem is worse in developing parts of the world, particularly South Asia and Southeast Asia, where a significant portion of the world’s population lives. The common denominators are a high volume of vehicle traffic, dirty industrialization, and uncontrolled burning of solid fuels and waste.

It should come as no surprise why investments in air filter technology are being encouraged in India and China—the former is home to half of the world’s top cities for worst air quality, the latter has eight.

Not even the United States, which led the fight against air pollution with the Clean Air Act, has completely solved the problem. Sure, a lot of headway has been made to improve air quality in urban centers, but cities like Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Modesto, San Diego, and Salt Lake are among several others that continue to struggle meeting the recommended guidelines for air quality.

Different Types of Air Pollution Call for Different Home Air Filtration Systems

We know that the most dangerous type of air pollution is particulate matter—it’s the pollutant that’s been studied and tested the most. These particles damage the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and reach vital organs, causing all kinds of health problems. The good news is that home air filtration systems are pretty good at capturing and removing particulate matter (PM), whether it’s black carbon, mineral dust, pet dander, sulfates, or ammonia.

But you also have other types of air pollution that are no less dangerous. Nitrogen dioxide, for example, is a pollutant typically generated by diesel engines that reacts with other pollutants in the air to create ground-level ozone and particulate matter. But nitrogen dioxide can also damage the lungs when inhaled. Likewise, sulfur dioxide and ground-level ozone can harm people and even crops, affecting crop yields by as much as 28 percent.

Nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone are gaseous pollutants that need a specific type of filter media, one that absorbs gases or fumes. This media is where filter materials like activated carbon come in, which behave like a sponge that traps gaseous molecules—a process called molecular filtration.

Choose Air Filtration Systems from a Reliable Air Filter Manufacturer

For regular home use, high efficiency air filtration systems are a safe choice for ensuring any air that flows through your HVAC system is clean and safe to breathe. You can use a combination of a high efficiency and activated carbon filter for the best results. In any case, be sure to work with a reliable air filter manufacturer to get solutions that are actually appropriate for your home’s needs.

Get in touch with Camfil USA Air Filters to talk about our home air filter solutions. Our team is on standby to answer all of your questions about maintaining good indoor air quality in homes, commercial buildings, offices, schools, hospitals, or any other facility.

 

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

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