Air pollution is currently acknowledged as a threat to public health in most developed and developing countries in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) air pollution is identified as one of the largest global health risks, causing approximately seven million deaths every year.
This threat has been recognized due to evaluations conducted to measure the air quality levels as well as the extent of the pollution. However, in Sri Lanka such significance is not attached to counteract the harmful effects of air pollution, which is increasingly becoming a great menace to the country.
Therefore, at present, based on these regrettable conditions, creating awareness on how air pollution has become a national threat as well as a public health hazard to the country, has taken precedence as a paramount concern.
Issues with vehicles and traffic congestion
Speaking to Ceylon Today on this issue Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya and Visiting Senior Professor of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Prof. O.A. Ileperuma, shared his expert opinion. He said: “Air pollution is a serious problem here due to the increasing number of vehicles and also traffic congestion as there is more pollution from vehicles when they move slowly due to traffic conditions. In addition due to our energy demands we are now using coal and diesel to generate 50% of our energy. We are burning coal at Norochcholai to generate power which makes the situation worse.”
“In response to this in 1998 when President Premadasa was in power, he had plan called the Clean Air Action plan to provide clean air for Colombo by the year 2008. There were 47 steps proposed but only three have been implemented successfully. These three are reducing the sulphur content in diesel, removing lead from petrol and air quality monitoring.”
According to the Central Environment Authority (CEA) based on the available records regarding the air quality monitoring status in Sri Lanka till 2012, the values of ambient Particle Pollution, Particulate Matter (PM)-10 level in Colombo has constantly exceeded the WHO guideline value.
Need to repair air quality stations
The Professor discussed about the air quality stations which enable this process of monitoring the air quality levels in Sri Lanka. He said that with the assistance of the World Bank these stations had been installed back in 1996. These included a peak station at the Colombo Fort Railway Station and a background one at the premises of the Department of Meteorology in Bauddhaloka Mawatha.
Unfortunately the air quality levels in the country cannot be measured by these stations at present, as they have been dilapidated and are currently in disrepair. According to Prof. Ileperuma these stations have only worked till 2003 and from that year onwards there has been a general lack of awareness about the air quality level in Sri Lanka. The only working air quality monitoring station is a mobile one which can be carried, to be used before starting any major industry or constructions.
Assurance of future reparations
However, the Chairman of the CEA Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri told Ceylon Today that the necessary equipment has now been purchased to repair the peak air station at the Colombo Fort Railway Station.
“Though I cannot give the exact time I believe that, we will be able to repair this station within a month or so. We can also fix the LED panel so that it can properly display what the values are. So if the air quality is below the internationally accepted guideline value, the light will be green. If the light is red that means the air quality level is at a dangerous level. So after this particular station is fixed, the public will be able to easily get an idea about the air quality level.”
Air pollution in Kandy
According to various researches conducted, the level of pollution in Kandy is even higher than that of Colombo. As mentioned in a research work by Prof. Ileperuma and Dr. T.L.J.C. Siritunga on Air Pollution and Health published by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Colombo, “recent results show that the City of Kandy is very heavily polluted and the level of air pollution has reached dangerous levels. The degree of air pollution in Kandy is higher than in Colombo because Kandy is situated in a valley between two mountain ranges. In Colombo, more pollutants are formed but they get dispersed owing to the flat terrain and due to the action of the sea breeze.”
Prof. Ileperuma said that he has been personally been involved with monitoring the air quality in Kandy from 2000-2005. He said that when comparing the level of air pollution of the two cities, it was discovered that air pollution in Kandy is two to three times higher than that of Colombo.
Diesel fumes can cause cancer
In 2012 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO announced that they have reclassified diesel exhaust as a definite carcinogen, putting it in number one category.
“The fumes from diesel carry cancer causing compounds. There is definite evidence that diesel fumes can cause cancer,” the Professor also added.
Fine particles can be threatening
Prof.Ileperuma also said that the major air pollutants are emitted from factories and power plants. One of these pollutants is fine particles. He said that these cannot even be seen by the naked eye, can easily go into the lungs and can cause asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Blast at the Salawa Army Camp
The Professor described the blast at the Salawa Army Camp in detail and said that due to this explosion a large amount of debris will go into the atmosphere in the form of fine particles. So, generally, these are very similar to the ones produced by motor vehicles due to air pollution, but they are very concentrated and occur on a large scale. However, he assured that natural removal mechanisms will be operated by the environment, so that due to the gravity and the rain these fine particles will definitely come down. “I recommend wearing a face mask in such a situation,” he added.
Passive smoking
Prof.Ileperuma also undermined the popular notion of passive smoking being more dangerous than the smoker himself by saying, “it is the particles you find inside the smoker; it is only the vapours that go into the passive smokers. Passive smoking is however very harmful for pregnant women and children.”
Dangers posed by COPD
The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the most dangerous diseases, which usually occurs in people who are heavy smokers, due to continuous smoking for 10-20 years. However, the Professor said that the situation has turned dire at present as there were some cases reported even among school girls in Kandy because of the air pollution due to heavy traffic.
“Some children as young as 12 years are getting this and it is very likely it is due to the air pollution. Our lungs generally grow till we are about 15 years of age. When children are exposed to air pollution the lung tissues get damaged and after that they do not recover. As a result of this, they have to be in medication, probably, throughout their life. So this is a very serious situation,” he added.
Proposed solutions
The Professor said that the issue with traffic congestion can actually be tackled. He proposed that when there is a lot of traffic he would recommend people to use a face mask with an activated carbon filter.
He also said that he had already proposed to make the two roads leading to Peradeniya in Kandy one way.
“Opening the road in front of the Sri Dalada Maligawa can improve the public transport system. Also long distance buses should not come to the city, they should start from the suburbs. The government can also take sufficient measures to control the number of three-wheelers in the country because they not only heavily contribute to traffic congestion but are also highly polluting.”
Dangers of indoor air pollution
According to the WHO indoor air pollution in Sri Lanka is largely a result of burning solid fuels (biomass or coal) for cooking. Firewood is used as the principal type of cooking fuel in many households in Sri Lanka. Therefore, women and children are at a higher risk of contracting diseases due to household air pollution. According to the findings of the WHO, this leads to a large proportion of the total number of deaths from ischemic heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. It also leads to a number of reported COPD cases in women compared to men. In Sri Lanka, 56 per cent of an estimated 230 child deaths due to acute lower respiratory infections are attributable to household air pollution (WHO – 2012)
Adding to this Professor Ileperuma said: “These old ladies who have been cooking in these kitchens for years get lung cancer. Normally, we attribute lung cancer to heavy smoking in men but this is due to the firewood. Cooking is usually done in a small room with a small window. Generally, while the husband and children are enjoying their time in an airy room, the mother will be cooking in a congested kitchen. What can be done, as a solution, is to cook in an open air kitchen, like back in the old days, with adequate ventilation.”
Air pollution certainly plays a significant role when it comes to health concerns. However, it only comes to the centre of attention when unfortunate incidents such as the blast at the Salawa Army camp occur. So it will only be discussed during that particular time. Nevertheless, air pollution is a real threat and a public menace which affects people on a daily basis. As a result proper and effective measures need to be taken to sufficiently counter this ultimate health hazard.
(Source : 12/07/2016 Ceylon Today http://www.ceylontoday.lk/print20160321CT20160630.php?id=3233)
