1) Air pollution is a major global issue that is deteriorating air quality and posing immense health problems and economic costs in Sri Lanka.
2) The main contributors to air pollution in Sri Lanka are motor vehicles (55-60%), industries (20-25%), and domestic sources (20%).
3) The health hazards of air pollution include respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and cancer. Particulate matter is especially hazardous.
2. Contents
โข Global issue
โข Sri Lankan air quality
โข Contributors to air pollution
โข Challenges facing
โข Sources of air pollution
โข Major types of air pollution
โข Air quality index
โข Particulate matter
โข Health hazards
โข Cost of action
โข Course of failure
โข recommendation
3. Global Issue..!
โข Global warming: The worldโs average surface temperature is likely to
surpass 3 degrees centigrade this century.
โข Killer: 2012 around 7 million people died - one in eight of total global
deaths
โข Life expectancy : Research from the University of Chicago suggests
global life expectancy is cut by two years as a result of particulate
matter air pollution.
โข Health cost: Representing 0.3% of world GDP in health costs, as well
as reducing productivity at work.
4. According to WHO...
โcontamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical,
physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of
the atmosphereโ
5. Why Iโve choose this topic?
โข Sri Lanka comes 11th out of 34 in cleanest Asian countries
โข Sri lanka pollution index is 56.92
โข National Burden !!!
โข Respiratory diseases are immense 45%
โข Pneumonia and influenza leading cause of death
6. Srilanka
โข Industrial > Rural
โข Kandy: highly air polluted city
โข Contributors:
โข Motor vehicles: 55-60%
โข 20-25% is due to industries
โข 20% is from domestic sources
(Ministry of Environment 2011)
7. Challenges
โข Air quality is deteriorating
โข This cause immense health problems
โข It can affect economy : tourist revenue, investors
9. Major air pollutants
Class of pollutants Examples
Oxides of carbon CO2, CO
Oxides of nitrogen NO2, NO
Oxides of sulphur SO2, SO3
Particulate matter Soot, PM10
Inorganic compounds Pb
Photochemical smog O3, PeroxyacylNitrate
Hydrocarbons C6H6, Benzopyrene
10. Ambient air pollution
โข Also called criteria
pollutants
โข Especially in urban
environment, arises
from a spectrum of
different sources, which
are broadly classified as
stationary, mobile, and
area emission sources.
12. Air Quality Index (AQI)
โข Index for reporting daily air
quality
โข Measure how clean or
polluted the air is
โข The AQI focuses on health
effects we experience
within a few hours or days
after breathing polluted air
13. Air quality monitoring
โข Air Quality Monitoring Station is in Colombo Fort, since 1997 to
monitor ambient air quality on a continuous basis
โข The average annual ambient PM 10 level in Colombo over the years
have remained relatively stable: 72 to 80 ฮผg/m3
โข WHO recommends an AQI level < 25 safe human.
โข AQI (Colombo) = 153
14. Why pollution level increasing
โข Increasing number of motor cycle vehicles
โข Poor quality of fuel
โข Industrial pollutants
โข Over loaded trucks and buses
โข Traffic congestions
โข Increasing use of thermal power plants
โข Incineration of waste materials
15. Health hazards
Vulnerability to health hazards and severity are depend on
โข Population sensitivity
โข Environmental
โข Social
โข Economic
โข Personal
16. Health effects of air pollution
โข CO : make it hard for body parts to get the oxygen need ,
exposure to CO makes feel dizzy, tired and headache. In high
concentrations its fatal.
โข NO2 : cough make them feel short of breath. Increase the chances
for respiratory infections. Cause acid rain which can harm plants
and animals
โข SO2 : Exposure to this can affect people with asthma and
emphysema by making more difficult to breathe. Causing
irritates peoples eyes, noses and throats.
17. Health effects
โข Ozone : Near ground can cause number of health
problems. Cause frequent asthma, lead to premature
death. Also hurt plant and animals
โข Smog : affects plant life and the health of the animals
and humans. Lead to bronchial diseases. Cause rickets
low production of vitamin D. inflammation in tissues
18. Particulate matter
โข The fine particles emitted, specially from diesel
engines
โข vehicles having particulate size diameter of less than
10ยตm known as the PM10 fraction.
โข Extremely hazardous.
โข Health damage cost around Rs.32 billion in Colombo
alone (Prof.Amal kumarage, UoM )
19. Particulate matter
Where do they come from ?
โข Automobile exhaust fumes
โข Forest and domestic fires
โข Soil and rock debris
โข Indoor cooking using firewood
โข Sea salt
20. Health effects
โข Aggravates asthma
โข Respiratory problems
โข Silicosis and asbestosis
โข Heart diseases
โข Lead poisoning
โข Cancer
โข Interferes with cleaning mechanism of lungs
21. Course of action
โข Strictly enforce emission testing for all vehicles
including CTB buses, lorries, vans etc
โข Limit the import of three wheelers and motorbikes
which are the worst polluters.
โข Improve the quality of diesel.
โข One way traffic has considerably lessened the air
pollution in some areas of the Colombo city.
โข Establish, adhere and enforce air quality standards.
โข Invest in renewable energy.
โข Provide clean cooking and heating stoves to rural
communities.
โข Switch from kerosene lamps to clean lightening
technologies.
โข Donโt openly burn waste.
22. Costs of failure
โข A sick population and increased health costs.
โข COPD among the children, lost school days due to
asthma, heart problems for the elderly and risks of
cancer.
โข Loss of tourist revenue and eventually the world
heritage status for Kandy.
23. Recommendation
๏ง Generating base line data related to indoor and outdoor air pollutants
and human health will form the platform to address this problem at
national, community and individual level.
๏ง The lack of proper air quality monitoring system to track human
exposure to is a major limitation. This has to be addressed and take
necessary actions.
๏ง Establishing a modern ambient air quality monitoring systems at least
covering major cities.
๏ง Identifying new mitigation strategies and implementing.
