Air pollution – we are always concerned if our city is on the list! And, it has been an ongoing topic of discussion and concern. Whether we realise it or not, air pollution does and will affect us all. While it often gets ignored in Indian households, there are many reasons to make a conscious effort to reduce and eliminate the risk it brings to the table.
But the question is, how much do people really know about it? Here are some popular questions answered by Muzaffar Izamuddin, Design Manager, Environmental Care at Dyson, which shed some light on air pollution and air quality.
- Can air pollution be invisible?
Yes, but air pollution seems to grab attention when we see smog or haze. We often forget that visible pollution is not the only form of harmful pollution and that invisible air pollution such as nitrogen oxides can exist all year round and can be more or equally deadly.
- If there is outdoor pollution outside, is it better to stay indoors?
Home isn’t always a safe haven and indoor air pollution can be worse than outdoors. Pollution can be generated indoors through day-to-day activities, enter the house from outside, emit from surfaces and eventually make up a complex cocktail of pollutants. As we increasingly seal our homes to seemingly shut pollution out, in truth, we are maybe shutting it in.
Every day we can breathe in up to 9,000 litres of air1 and spend up to 90% of our time behind closed doors2. Daily household activities such as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) released from using cleaning solvents, deodorants and scented candles are some of the more common indoor air pollutants. Other major indoor air pollutants include gases from cooking and central heating, mould, allergens, pollen and pet dander, or formaldehyde from mass-produced furniture. Whether we are at home or in office, we could be breathing potentially harmful air. Having an air purifier with both HEPA and activated carbon filter to capture both pollutant particles and toxic gases can help improve the air quality inside your homes to great extent.
