Air Pollution

What is Air Pollution ?

Air Pollution is the release of pollutants into the atmosphere by various activities which make the air unbreathable , for us humans . Air pollution is a major problem in recent times and this increase in air pollution have already lead to many fatalities.

Harmful pollutants

Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide or CO2 is most widely present pollutant . It is normal and also useful at small quantities . At small quantities they trap heat at night which keeps the night nearly as warm as the day. At large quantities Carbon dioxide can be very harmful. When they enter the lungs they cause a variety of diseases including Lung cancer. When the carbon reacts with limited amount of oxygen in a tight space , Carbon monoxide is formed which is highly poisonous when it reacts with Hemoglobin in the blood to form carboxyhemoglobin which is highly toxic and very fatal.

Sulphur dioxide

Sulphur dioxide can harm the respiratory , and also afects the visibility range by reacting with other particles in the air and is highly poisonous.

Particulate matter or ( PM)

PM10 is suspended coarse particulate matter, either solid or liquid, with a diameter of 10 micrometers (µm) or less. PM2.5 is much smaller with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers . It can cause heart failure , cancer and other such problems.

Major causes of Air pollution

1. Vehicle Emissions

• Description: India's number vehicles in usage has been growing rapidly. As of 2024, India has over 300 million vehicles on the road, and this number continues to rise by around 10-15% annually. Many vehicles still rely on older forms of energy like petrol and diesel. A lack of widespread use of cleaner alternatives like electric vehicles controls this issue.

• Impact: The automotive sector is a significant source of air pollution in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Vehicles emit a variety of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons, and particulate matter (PM). According to the World Health Organization, vehicle emissions contribute about 30-40% of the total air pollution in major cities like Delhi.

2. Industrial Emissions

• Description: India's industrial sector, including textiles, cement production, and power generation, is a major contributor to air pollution. In 2022, the industrial sector emitted around 2.4 million tonnes of particulate matter and 7 million tonnes of nitrogen oxides. The coal-based power generation sector alone accounts for over 60% of the country's electricity but is also one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter (PM).

• Impact: Industrial emissions not only degrade air quality but also contribute to acid rain and smog. Pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can combine with atmospheric moisture to form sulfuric and nitric acids, which fall as acid rain, damaging crops, buildings, and water sources. Industrial emissions are responsible for elevated levels of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), which are linked to respiratory diseases, and premature mortality. A study found that exposure to industrial air pollution in India contributes to over 500,000 deaths annually.

3. Fossil Fuel Combustion

• Description: Apart from the transport and power sectors, the burning of fossil fuels for industrial purposes, heating, and other activities is widespread. In urban areas, the extensive use of diesel generators in the absence of stable electricity contributes to elevated levels of air pollution.

• Impact: Fossil fuel combustion releases pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, which contribute to smog formation and acid rain. In Delhi, for example, diesel generators are estimated to contribute to approximately 5% of the city’s air pollution during the winter months. The high sulfur content in diesel fuels exacerbates the formation of harmful particulate matter.

Major effects of Air pollution

1.Health Issues

Air pollution has a serious impact on human health. It is linked to many health problems, like cancer, heart attacks, strokes, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Millions of deaths are caused by air pollution, either directly or indirectly. Pregnant women exposed to high levels of air pollution are at risk for premature birth, autism, asthma, and other early development issues. It can also harm a child’s brain development and cause pneumonia, which kills about a million children under five each year. In polluted areas, children are more likely to get short-term respiratory infections and lung diseases.

2. Global Warming

The changes happening to our planet are mainly due to global warming. Climate change, loss of habitats, animals moving to new places, and rising sea levels from melting ice are all signs that we might face a big crisis if we don’t act quickly to protect the environment.

3. Acid Rain

When fossil fuels are burned, harmful substances like sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. When it rains, these pollutants mix with the raindrops to form acid, which falls to the ground as acid rain. Acid rain can harm people, animals, and crops.

4. Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone in the Earth’s stratosphere protects us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. However, substances like hydro chlorofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons are hurting the ozone layer. When the ozone layer gets thinner, more harmful rays reach the Earth, which can cause skin and eye problems. UV rays can also damage crops

How to reduce air pollution

We could reduce the amount of pollution you create from our vehicles.

i ) Always try to avoid using vehicles for short distances :

Your going to a nearby shop which is just a block away you can just walk to the store or you can go by a bike which are eco-friendly and don’t give out any type of emission.

ii ) Choosing the type of Vehicle to buy:

Whether your just going to buy a new vehicle for your use , don’t choose diesel ones because they pollute the environment more than petrol and EV vehicles combined. Instead choose petrol vehicles or EVs which give out relatively give out lesser emission. This is why most of the European cities have banned diesel vehicle.

iii ) Consume less , Recycle and buy more sustainable and recycled products:

Buying products which are more durable , more sustainable and more energy efficient can change the amount of money spent on each product and the amount of energy used by the product. Imagine all complex processes needed to create new items from scratch. Mining raw materials involves extraction, transportation, cleaning, processing, and treatment before becoming products. Each step emits pollutants and greenhouse gases. Making new items from raw materials uses more energy and increases pollution compared to using recycled materials.Recycled products on the other hand require less energy and cause less pollution as they have already been processed and shaped several times.

GRAP - 4

GRAP-4 (Graded Response Action Plan-4) is an emergency action plan introduced by the Central Pollution Control Board in India to control severe air pollution, particularly in Delhi. It is part of a series of escalating actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is a framework to take specific measures depending on the level of Air Quality Index ( AQI) .

GRAP - 1 is introduced when AQI levels are between 201-300 GRAP - 2 is introduced when AQI levels are between 301-400 GRAP - 3 is introduced when AQI levels are between 401-450 GRAP - 4 is introduced when AQI levels are above 450.