WHO Air Quality Guidelines

The WHO air quality guidelines are designed to provide instructions in minimizing the health impacts of air pollution. Air Quality Guidelines provided a Global Update in 2005 on health effects that indicate that air pollution harms human health.

Our air quality is degrading day by day just because of air pollution. If we want to live a longer and healthier life, we’ll have to reduce air pollution.

Countries can minimize the exposures to several diseases like heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma by reducing air pollution.

China had 1.3 million premature deaths due to exposure to PM2.5 in 2010.

The estimated 4.2 million annual premature deaths occurred globally in 2015 due to PM2.5 that was the vital component of air pollution. The United States of America (USA) had annual 52,000 premature deaths while the 28 European Union (EU) countries had a mortality rate 173,000.

Understanding of the complication of greenhouse gas has upgraded, the limitations of monitoring air pollution through recommendations for contaminants have become progressively obvious.

During the combustion processes nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is released into the environment and has close relationship with other crucial pollutants, containing ultrafine (UF) particles.

A precursor of ozone it is itself lethal and it coincides along with a number of other oxidants that is produced as result of photo chemical reaction.

Role of the WHO Air Quality Guidelines in Securing Public Health

To achieve air quality that defends public health in different perspectives the WHO air quality guidelines (AQGs) are planned worldwide.

For the protection of the public health of their citizens, each country set the air quality standards, as an important element of national hazard management and environmental strategies.

National standards will fluctuate according to the approach adopted for balancing health risks, economic considerations, technological feasibility and numerous other political and social factors. In many developed countries(PM) shows that there are risks to health at different concentrations currently found in many cities.

The research did not identify thresholds below which severe effects do not occur, it should be worried that the guideline values delivered here cannot utterly protect human health. Standards are reviewed or may be revised occasionally.

The most newly established standards are recorded below. In some areas of the U.S., certain regulatory demand may also stay for the implementation of previously established standards.

Units of measure for the standard (ppm) stands for parts per million by volume, and (ppb) for parts per billion by volume, and (µg/m3) for micrograms per cubic meter of air. 

Why there is need to lower the levels of Air Pollution?

  • At global, regional, and country levels WHO produces indication concerning the linkage of air pollution to particular diseases, such as respiratory diseases and cardiovascular, and cancers along with a load of illness assessments from existing air pollution exposures.
  • For the better respiratory and cardiovascular health of the population there need special care to reduce the levels of air pollution.
  • In 2013 evaluation was done by WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) summarized that outdoor air pollution is destructive to humans, with particulate matter.
  • Components of air pollution more closely linked with increased cancer occurrence, especially lung cancer. A relationship also has been detected between outdoor air pollution that it leads to an increase in cancer of the urinary tract or bladder.
  • 91% of the world population was living in those areas where the WHO air quality guidelines levels were not met or followed in 2016.
  • In 2016 outdoor air pollution in rural areas and cities was expected to cause 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide; this mortality is due to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and cancers because of disclosure to the small coarse matter of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5).
  • WHO evaluates that 18% of deaths were due to dreadful obtrusive pulmonary disease and serious lower respiratory infections correspondingly, and 6% of deaths were due to lung cancer.
  • Different types of air contaminants containing black carbon particles and ozone release into the atmosphere and polluting our environment.
  • Indoor air pollution specially smoke is a severe health risk for some 3 billion people who cook and warmth their homes with biomass, fuel, coal and kerosene.
  • At the same time some deaths may be endorsed to more than one risk factor. It has reported that roughly lung cancer deaths could have been prevented by improving ambient air quality, or by decreasing tobacco smoking.
  • Following key sources would reduce outdoor air pollution making and adopting new policies and investments that supports cleaner transport, power generation, energy-effective homes and industry and better urban waste management.

Tools Used By WHO for The WHO Air Quality Guidelines

WHO develops tools such as Air Q+ for the evaluation of numerous pollutants that are imposing negative effect on health. To estimate walking and cycling interventions a tool is used named Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT).

The Green+ tool is used to advance the significance of green space and health, and there are two different tools that are used by WHO i.e. the Sustainable Transport Health Assessment Tool (STHAT) and the Integrated Transport and Health Impact Modelling Tool (ITHIM).

WHO is developing a Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit (CHEST) to evaluate policies or to provide countries and programmer with the tools obligatory to develop clean household energy right to use.

Pollutants released due to domestic activities in and around known as (domestic air pollution) add considerably to ambient pollution.

CHEST tools comprised of modules that need guidance and assessment on criteria and analysis for household energy strategies, checking and valuation, and materials to permit the health sector to tackle household air pollution.

Conclusion

Air quality guidelines are designed to provide instructions in minimizing the health impacts of air pollution according to WHO air pollution kills around seven million people every year worldwide.

Air in the country can be fatal for people with asthma and members of sensitive groups according to specialists.

Breathing in polluted or unhealthy air increases the chances of asthma attacks so this can be a better option for those people with respiratory or cardiovascular problems because, air purifiers can refresh fusty air, reducing the chances of health issues caused by air pollution.

One of the Worlds most advanced Air Purifiers for the Car

Car Version

  • Kills 99% of most germs, bacteria and viruses on surfaces and in the air
  • PM2.5 and PM10 removal rate of 99%
  • Effectively kills harmful microorganisms.
  • Reduces risk of spreading airborne illness
  • Reduces allergens, dust, dander and smoke
  • Reduction of smoke, VOC’s, allergens, dust, and particulates such as pet dander
  • Cleansing agents are capable of decomposing organic pollutants and compounds like formaldehyde and any undesirable odor molecules without a HEPA filter.
  • Reduces odours from cooking, pets and more
  • Used in government buildings, hotels, hospitals, schools and homes worldwide.
  • The AirTower Decompose Formaldehyde, Benzene, TVOC and other harmful substances, into non toxic CO2 and H2O
  • Robust Air Purifier design

One of the Worlds most advanced Air Purifiers for the Home

Home Version

  • Kills 99% of most germs, bacteria and viruses on surfaces and in the air
  • PM2.5 and PM10 removal rate of 99%
  • Effectively kills harmful microorganisms.
  • Reduces risk of spreading airborne illness
  • Reduces allergens, dust, dander and smoke
  • Reduction of smoke, VOC’s, allergens, dust, and particulates such as pet dander
  • Cleansing agents are capable of decomposing organic pollutants and compounds like formaldehyde and any undesirable odor molecules without a HEPA filter.
  • Reduces odours from cooking, pets and more
  • Used in government buildings, hotels, hospitals, schools and homes worldwide.
  • The AirTower Decompose Formaldehyde, Benzene, TVOC and other harmful substances, into non toxic CO2 and H2O
  • Robust Air Purifier design

One of the Worlds most advanced air purifiers, with only a handful of air purifiers that can truly combine sterilisation and detoxification with the decomposition of organic matter such as formaldehyde, TVOC, benzene and actively kills bacteria and viruses.

    Cart