Air pollution from Heavy Industries
Hi readers!. Today’s post I will be sharing on air pollution from heavy industries.
The presence of chemicals and air pollutants in the atmosphere can cause harm to humans and other living things that damage the atmosphere. One main source of emissions of air pollutants in the factories and other industrial activities that cause air pollution across the globe. The burning of fossil fuels to facilitate industrial activities, result in the release of harmful chemical, air pollutants and other particulates (European Environment Agency, 2019).
Most factories around the globe require a reliable energy source to power their production activities. Often to generate electricity to facilitate their operations, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal is used. The types of air pollutants that are released ranges from nitrogen and sulfur oxides, heavy metals, lead and others. The power needed to facilitate factories result in more air pollution compared to factories daily operations or production processes.
An image showing air pollution from areas with heavy industry (Morrison, 2020).
Why is air pollution coming from industries harmful?
These industries often emit a wide variety of hazardous pollutants into the atmosphere, reducing the air quality thereby worsening the health of people living nearby. Although we know that air pollutants can be harmful to humans health, the effects of air pollution from these industries on lung function and respiratory symptoms have been researched scarcely. Long-term and short-term exposure to air pollution could cause cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and even mortality. We have to note that the age-group also plays a part in who is affected the most. Often the children are the most susceptible to the effects of air pollution than adults.
A study was investigated among school children aged 7-13 years in the vicinity about 2 -35 km they have a large industrial area near East Vlissingen in the Southwest of the Netherlands (Arnold et al., 2019). Activities associated with these heavy industries included coal power plants, terminals for storing and shipping coal, a plastic recycling company, an oil refinery and others (Arnold et al., 2019). Due to this, various air pollutants such as particulate matter PM, nitrogen oxide N0x, sulphur dioxide S02, benzene, dioxins and others are emitted by these industries (Arnold et al., 2019). However, the study found that it is difficult to define an exposure measure as biological mechanisms are largely unknown.
Based on the data collected through the examination of lung function of children and questionnaires, the study found out that PM2.5 and NOX exposure from an area with heavy industry was closely associated with a significantly lower lung function in schoolchildren (Arnold, et al., 2019). Moreover, the PM2.5 exposure was also significantly associated with the presence of the respiratory symptom dry cough.
To conclude, we can see that an environment which has heavy industries polluting the atmosphere, this worsens the air quality and thereby results in associated health issues for the population particularly the children. With a longer exposure, this could further results in various cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and even mortality.
The next post, I will be sharing on COVID-19 and effects of air travel in EU.
References:
Arnold, B., Bert, B., & Alex, B. (2019). The effect of industry-related air pollution on lung function and respiratory symptoms in school children. Environmental Epidemiology, 3, 27–28. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ee9.0000605920.00253.6c
Industrial pollution in Europe. (2019, August 28). https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/industrial-pollution-in-europe/assessment-1
Morrison, R. (2020, March 06). Cuts to air pollution could SPEED UP climate change in the short term. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8074749/Cuts-air-pollution-SPEED-climate-change-short-term.html