It is a fact that the air quality does tend to deteriorate with the onset of winter. But why? You ask. And how grave is the problem?
We wish we had a fairy tale for you but the reality is pretty grave.
More people die of Air pollution related illnesses than in a car wreck in a year, So, the problem does seem to be huge
Why does the air quality drop in winters?
In summers, the air is warmer and warm air is lighter so the polluted air rises up to the atmosphere, but in winters, the air becomes colder and cold air sits at the surface level. And the warmer air in the planetary boundary layer ( The lowest part of the atmosphere) forms a virtual
‘Cork’ which then bottles up the pollutants in the surface layer, thus, leading to the formation of smog.
Is it a condition that only affects India?
No, This is a condition that a lot of countries are dealing with. The first smog happened in Britain in 1952 which caused the death of 12000 people londoners, China also has been battling with the upwards trend of air pollution in it’s cities.
But in India, there are increased levels of pollution because of the festival of diwali among other things. Here are the pollution levels before and after diwali.
What is PM 2.5 and is it the only pollutant during winters?
PM 2.5 refers to particulate matter of 2.5 micro meter in diameter, although, it is the most harmful and one of the major factors in the increase of air pollution related illnesses, including asthma, cancer and alzheimer’s disease, it’s still just a part of the toxic soup that is created because of PM 2.5, NO2, SO2 emissions among others.
NO2 is released majorly because of the combustion engines in vehicles. Against this problem, in particular, the catalytic convertors do the job as far as curbing the release of NO2 directly into the atmosphere is concerned. PM2.5 is released by industries. Burning of stubble, bursting crackers, brick kilns and also by the burning of ‘sigri’ which is used to keep people warm during winters in many parts of India
I will stay Indoors why should I care?
There is a very close relationship between the outdoor and indoor air, While air indoors is 80% of the air quality pollution outdoors, it can exceed the outdoor concentration sometimes in the event of low ventilation among other things.
So, If the air quality becomes bad, then it directly affects the indoor air quality as well.
What should you do then?
Generally, to be safe, wear a mask whenever you travel or whenever in commercial spaces.
As far as the air quality at home is concerned, get an air purifier at home to save your lungs.
In commercial spaces such as offices, malls and hospitals, we got you covered. Our IOT equipped sensors and nanotechnology filters, which get installed in your air conditioning systems, get the job done.
You can not only breathe cleaner but also observe and monitor what you are breathing
So, this Diwali, gift yourself and your employees better lungs and a better life.
