AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution can result from both human and natural actions. Natural events that pollute the air include forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion, pollen dispersal, evaporation of organic compounds and natural radioactivity. Pollution from natural occurrences are not very often.

CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION

• Emissions from industries and manufacturing activities
• Burning fossil fuels
• House hold and farming chemicals

COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS

• Carbon monoxide
• Ground-level ozone
• Lead
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Particulate matter and sulfur dioxide

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

• Acidification
• Eurtrophication
• Ground-level ozone
• Particulate matter

PREVENTION/SOLUTION

• Government (or community) level prevention
• Individual level prevention

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

• Indoor air’ is air within a building such as your home, classroom, office, shopping center, hospital or gym. We say ‘Indoor Air Pollution’ if indoor air is contaminated by smoke, chemicals, smells or particles. Unlike outdoor air pollution, the effect of indoor air pollution is health related and less of an environmental issue. In colder regions, building and heating methods make use of airtight spaces, less ventilation and energy efficient heating. Sometimes synthetic building materials, smells from household care and furnishing chemicals can all be trapped indoors. As less fresh air gets indoors, the concentration of pollutants such as pollen, tobacco smoke, mold, pesticides, radon, asbestos and carbon monoxide trapped inside the building increases and people breathe that in.

FACTS