We have a massive air pollution problem in India, and it's creating a health hazard similar to forcing non-smokers to smoke simply from breathing the air in our cities and towns.
1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_brown_cloud, effects: worse health, changed monsoon rain, more warming, worse harvests, more intense cyclones
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India
3) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/opinion/sunday/holding-your-breath-in-india.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/opinion/indias-air-pollution-emergency.html
4) http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/landmark-study-lies-buried-how-delhis-poisonous-air-is-damaging-its-children-for-life/, http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-quality-levels-bengaluru-fares-worse-than-delhi/article7074817.ece
First, we must get the data and monitor the effects
1) Set up air data monitors
2) Analyze the data to understand causes of pollution
3) Develop solutions, prioritize and act to solve for this
The root causes are deeply embedded and widespread. This is a starter list for a data-driven discussion:
1) Industrial pollution, e.g., from smoke-stacks, a large amount is from state-owned power plants
a) Stop companies spewing polluting smoke, ref http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-thermal-power-plants-lag-on-emissions-and-efficiency-says-study-741376. Likely force shut-down leading to distress sale, as State owners lack the capability to clean up their act. Phased transfer to private hands will enable pollution control norms to be applied.
b) Increase use of zero-emission power generation technologies, ref http://www.withouthotair.com
1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_brown_cloud, effects: worse health, changed monsoon rain, more warming, worse harvests, more intense cyclones
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India
3) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/opinion/sunday/holding-your-breath-in-india.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/opinion/indias-air-pollution-emergency.html
4) http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/landmark-study-lies-buried-how-delhis-poisonous-air-is-damaging-its-children-for-life/, http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-quality-levels-bengaluru-fares-worse-than-delhi/article7074817.ece
First, we must get the data and monitor the effects
1) Set up air data monitors
2) Analyze the data to understand causes of pollution
3) Develop solutions, prioritize and act to solve for this
The root causes are deeply embedded and widespread. This is a starter list for a data-driven discussion:
1) Industrial pollution, e.g., from smoke-stacks, a large amount is from state-owned power plants
a) Stop companies spewing polluting smoke, ref http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-thermal-power-plants-lag-on-emissions-and-efficiency-says-study-741376. Likely force shut-down leading to distress sale, as State owners lack the capability to clean up their act. Phased transfer to private hands will enable pollution control norms to be applied.
b) Increase use of zero-emission power generation technologies, ref http://www.withouthotair.com
2) Vehicle/transport emissions
a) Stop subsidizing kerosene. Most of it is used to adulterate diesel. Using adulterated diesel increases engine emissions.
b) Low average speeds cause higher pollution per trip (pollution per km moved), so improve the roads and apply town-planning. Increasing average speeds includes measures to reduce distance-traveled and time spent, so it includes mass-transit public transport, elevated roads, more parking spaces where needed, park-and-ride, etc.
c) Better maintenance of engines to avoid belching black smoke, apply emission-control rules to prevent such vehicles from running.
3) Diesel generator backup (telecom towers, offices, shops, homes, etc.)
a) Eliminate grid-power outages
b) Reduce grid-power outages to make battery back-up viable
c) See Industrial pollution (above) ... stopping subsidized electricity, that causes loss-making power businesses and thus erratic power supply, will solve for a key "good" (energy supply) and also reduce the pollution issue.
4) Brick kiln emissions, ref http://urbanemissions.info/model-tools/sim-air/dhaka-bangladesh.html
a) promote alternatives to bricks for construction
b) stop kilns with unclean smokestack emissions
5) Cooking fires with biomass (sticks, cow-dung patties, etc.) and warming fires (to keep people warm in cold weather) ref http://www-ramanathan.ucsd.edu/files/pr178.pdf
a) Provide LPG and piped-gas connections as utility
b) Better cooking-stove and heater technology
6) Farmers burn crop residue on fields, people burn garbage everywhere
Ref http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/ngt-for-measures-to-snuff-out-crop-residue-burning/article6588808.ece and http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/garbage-burning-bangalore-health-effects — stop this by applying existing laws and promoting less-polluting alternatives.
I'm sure there are more sources, this is just a starter list ...
Blaming trucks: More than a levy, highway bypass will help Delhi's air
ReplyDeleteBusiness Standard Editorial, New Delhi, October 12, 2015
http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/blaming-trucks-115101201261_1.html
Snapshot of PM Loads Evaluated at Major Road and Railway Intersections in an Urban Locality
ReplyDeleteInternational Journal of Environmental Protection
Jan. 2014, Vol. 4 Iss. 1
PP. 23-29
Ashwin Kumar, Deepchandra Srivastava, Manish Agrawal, Anubha Goel
http://home.iitk.ac.in/~anubha/Snapshot%20of%20PM.pdf
Tackling Delhi's pollution problem: An open letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
ReplyDeleteAnjuli Bhargava December 14, 2015 Last Updated at 21:49 IST
http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/anjuli-bhargava-tackling-delhi-s-pollution-problem-115121401192_1.html
Checked the effects of the Odd/Even rule on Delhi air quality. The US Embassy in Chanakyapuri (New Delhi) shows 473.1 PM2.5(ug/m3) at 11 am IST today (6 Jan, 2015). Ref http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/airqualitydataemb.html. Last year, on a comparable weekday, the numbers were lower:
ReplyDelete1/1/2015 10:00 AM 436
1/1/2015 11:00 AM 291
1/1/2015 12:00 PM 270
7/1/2015 10:00 AM 232
7/1/2015 11:00 AM 304
7/1/2015 12:00 PM 296
Ref http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/airqualitydataemb/jan-nov2015.csv
From http://epod.cid.harvard.edu/
ReplyDeleteAre Delhi's air quality monitors working? http://www.indiaspend.com/cover-story/how-to-pinpoint-delhis-air-pollution-sources-45985
What causes Delhi's air pollution?
http://www.indiaspend.com/cover-story/to-cut-delhis-air-pollution-pinpoint-the-source-40763
CPCB's analysis of the odd/even rule on Delhi air quality is posted on their website.
ReplyDeleteThey say: “With no clear trend and wide fluctuations observed in the concentrations, it is evident that the meteorology and emissions from other polluting sources have been major factors impacting air quality of Delhi during the period. Overall, it can be stated that while some reduction in air pollution is likely to happen due to odd-even scheme, a single factor or action cannot substantially reduce air pollution levels in Delhi."
Ref http://cpcb.nic.in/upload/Latest/Latest_115_OddEvenScheme-02.pdf
Indoor and outdoor air pollution contributes to about 10 million premature deaths each year
ReplyDeleteMay 11, 2016
http://nextbigfuture.com/2016/05/indoor-and-outdoor-air-pollution.html
In 2014, Prof Michael Greenstone and colleagues from Harvard University and MIT partnered with the government in Gujarat, India, to reduce industrial pollution. The study found that making environmental auditors more independent improves the accuracy of audit reports; the reforms reduced pollution by 28 percent. Authorities in Gujarat later adopted the reforms as state law.
air pollution, china, deaths, environment, india, public health, science, world
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/09/industrial-air-pollution-leaves-magnetic-waste-brain
ReplyDeleteIf you live in an urban environment, chances are you’ve got nanomagnets on the brain—literally. New research suggests that most magnetite found in the human brain, a magnetic iron oxide compound, comes from industrial air pollution. And because unusually high concentrations of magnetite are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, the findings raise the specter of an alarming new environmental risk factor for this and other neurodegenerative diseases.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/air-pollution-estimates/en/
ReplyDeleteAir pollution’s toll on human health
Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6% of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together.
Nearly 90% of air-pollution-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly 2 out of 3 occurring in WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions.
Ninety-four per cent are due to noncommunicable diseases – notably cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Air pollution also increases the risks for acute respiratory infections.
"Air pollution continues take a toll on the health of the most vulnerable populations – women, children and the older adults," adds Dr Bustreo. "For people to be healthy, they must breathe clean air from their first breath to their last."
Major sources of air pollution include inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste burning, coal-fired power plants, and industrial activities. However, not all air pollution originates from human activity. For example, air quality can also be influenced by dust storms, particularly in regions close to deserts.
http://www.who.int/sustainable-development/news-events/breath-life/en/
ReplyDeleteCities that have taken steps to reduce air pollution are already succeeding. More than one-third of monitored cities in low- to middle-income countries and more than half in high-income countries have reduced their air pollution levels by 5% over the past 5 years.
India accounts for 75% of air pollution casualties: WHO
ReplyDeleteThe Hindu - September 28, 2016
Air pollution could have killed at least 600,000 Indians in 2012. Fine particulate matter from industries, cars and biomass are causing premature mortality.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/india-accounts-for-75-of-air-pollution-casualties-who/article9154552.ece
Nearly 1.59 million premature deaths per year in India linked to air pollution: IEA
The Times of India - Jun 27, 2016
Referring to India's Capital, the report says that the the two coal-fired power plants (Badarpur and Rajghat) are the main sources of PM2.5 emissions in Delhi. "Without action to tackle these emissions, among others, PM emissions in Delhi are expected to increase by 25% over the next 15 years under current legislation. Emissions could fall by 35% over the next 15 years, if effective measures to reduce emissions from the power sector and traditional open cooking were taken and proved successful," it says.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Nearly-1-59-million-premature-deaths-per-year-in-India-linked-to-air-pollution-IEA/articleshow/52945655.cms
Air pollution in India is so bad that it kills half a million people every year
The Washington Post - May 11, 2016
India’s air pollution has become a matter of life and death. The study, published this week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, suggests that outdoor air pollution in the country is contributing to more than half a million premature deaths each year at the cost of hundreds of billions of dollars.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/05/11/air-pollution-in-india-is-so-bad-that-it-kills-half-a-million-people-every-year/
http://m.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=89052&src=eorss-iotdcontent
ReplyDeleteUS satellite pictures of the fires in Punjab sending a smoke plume over North India
Burning paddy stubble in Punjab and Haryana causes air pollution over North India, e.g., Delhi.
ReplyDeleteDo we need that rice? No, it's a water-intensive export. Taxpayers subsidize rice farming via free water and free electric power and other agricultural support policies including procurement and export.
https://edworkingpapers.com/ai20-188
ReplyDeleteAir Filters, Pollution and Student Achievement
Michael Gilraine
01/2020
This paper identifies the achievement impact of installing air filters in classrooms for the first time. To do so, I leverage a unique setting arising from the largest gas leak in United States history, whereby the offending gas company installed air filters in every classroom, office and common area for all schools within five miles of the leak (but not beyond). This variation allows me to compare student achievement in schools receiving air filters relative to those that did not using a spatial regression discontinuity design. I find substantial improvements in student achievement: air filter exposure led to a 0.20 standard deviation increase in mathematics and English scores, with test score improvements persisting into the following year. Air testing conducted inside schools during the leak (but before air filters were installed) showed no presence of natural gas pollutants, implying that the effectiveness of air filters came from removing common air pollutants and so these results should extend to other settings. The results indicate that air filter installation is a highly cost-effective policy to raise student achievement and, given that underprivileged students attend schools in highly polluted areas, one that can reduce the pervasive test score gaps that plague public education.
JAMA published a study linking exposure to poor air quality with schizophrenia.
ReplyDeleteIndividuals who had experienced exposure to high levels of air pollution growing up also had an increased risk of developing schizophrenia in adulthood.
Schizophrenia causes cognitive functioning problems, including memory loss, hallucinations, persistent false beliefs, disordered thinking, and emotional disconnect.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2753791
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/09/fossil-fuels-pollution-deaths-research
ReplyDelete'Invisible killer': fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018, research finds
Pollution from power plants, vehicles and other sources accounted for one in five of all deaths that year, more detailed analysis reveals.
Reseach paper link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121000487
https://twitter.com/rahulsaxena/status/1579305471814795269?t=AFWhYnvYUIFhC3vaYPmQqw&s=19
ReplyDeleteBusiness Standard says that air pollution funds remain unspent.
https://twitter.com/bhargavkrishna/status/1588419527590543360?t=mLHrnFWahP7Hd3OYF_5oTQ&s=19
ReplyDeletePaddy+Wheat printed by the Green Revolution at the root of stubble burning
The Swiss air tracking index, IQAir, ranked Mumbai and the Mumbai metropolitan region as the most polluted urban centre in India — supplanting the National Capital Region of Delhi as India’s pollution capital — and the second most polluted in the world in the week between January 29 and February 8.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/mumbai-wheezes-its-way-to-past-delhi-ncr-to-become-pollution-capital-123031900621_1.html
https://youtu.be/dZB0KuGdvjg
ReplyDeleteVisualization of coal plant pollution in Europe
In most wealthy countries, dangerous levels of particulate pollution from industry are now a thing of the past. Clean-air laws have proved to be some of history's most effective and beneficial environmental legislation. The first age of smoke seemed to have come to an end.
ReplyDeleteBut now, after decades of progress against particulate pollution, the air is becoming unhealthy again, this time due to increasing wildfires.
Because of climate change and poor forest management, wildfires are becoming larger and more common. Over the last two decades, we’ve seen longer, more active fire seasons. At first, this was mostly a problem on the West Coast, but this summer, as smoke from Canadian fires has blanketed cities in the East and Midwest, we’ve seen that this will be a continent-wide problem.
https://worldhistory.medium.com/the-second-age-of-smoke-f789af755718
https://youtu.be/OAnSS6rdJCA?si=NbcHSVJu8qJ1VQsG
ReplyDeleteBehind India’s killer winter smog...
Not just stubble-burning, but free water, power, a rice-addiction...
But how our STUPIDITY is at the root of it all...
Jasmine Shah writes in today's @IndianExpress to uncover the fog over the debate on North India's - not Delhi's - lethal air pollution and the need to call out the abject silence and lack of accountability of the Modi govt at Centre and BJP-ruled Haryana and UP govts.
ReplyDeleteSome irrefutable facts to consider:
1. Only 30% of Delhi’s pollution is contributed by local sources with the remainder coming from outside Delhi - multiple studies prove this
2. Delhi is the only part of NCR that has seen a reduction of 30% in air pollution levels since 2016 - thanks to several long-term and short-term measures that ONLY Delhi has implemented in last 9 years.
3. Punjab too has made a remarkable effort in reducing farm fire incidents by over 41% in 2023 vs last year.
4. It is the Centre, Haryana and UP govts that have failed to take any responsibility or action on air pollution despite knowing this is a regional problem affecting 70 crore people in North India.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/Jasmine441/status/1722479653154132113?s=19
Link: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/dear-editor-disagree-air-pollution-centre-bjp-governments-share-blame-9017024/
https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/air-pollution%E2%80%99s-impact-on-mental-health
ReplyDeleteexposure to air pollution “is significantly associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorders,” including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and personality disorder.