Air pollution is a major factor affecting the health of our respiratory system, according to current research published on World Lung Day – September 25. Smoking and the use of other inhalants that damage the lungs are ranked only after the environmental impact.
The red dot indicates that the level exceeds the norm.
226 mg / cubic meter was the level of particulate matter (PM 10) at 9.20 am on World Lung Day on Eighth Primorski Polk Blvd in the area of Chataldzha in Varna. The data is collected from airtube.info that has a sensor for measuring airborne dust settled close to the office of the Public Environmental Center for Sustainable Development (PECSD). The average daily rate for PM is 50 mg / cubic meter. The measured value is indicative of the level of air pollution during rush hour near major boulevards in Varna. Particulate matters are responsible for exacerbating allergies, osmotic attacks, respiratory distress and lung cancer.
The PECSD Civic Ecology Laboratory can measure PM 10 and PM 2.5 in different points in the city at the same time.
The number one air pollutant in big cities in Bulgaria remains road transport. According to a study by the International Transport Cleanliness Council, diesel engines that meet the current Euro 6 environmental standard are nearly 5 times more dangerous than gasoline, Nova TV reported. The study, commissioned by local authorities in Paris, covers more than 180,000 vehicles. The study found that at temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius 20 – 30% more harmful substances are released into the atmosphere than below 30 degrees Celsius.
The 91% of the world’s population, including the Bulgarian population, lives in places where air quality exceeds WHO safety standards.
Lung disease imposes a huge burden on health globally and nationally, BTA reports. The facts are alarming:
65 million people suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 3 million die each year, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide.
10 million people develop tuberculosis, and 1.6 million die of it every year, making it the most common lethal infectious disease.
1.76 million people die of lung cancer each year, making it the deadliest cancer.
334 million people suffer from asthma, and it is the most common chronic childhood disease (affecting 14% of children worldwide) and is growing!
Pneumonia kills millions of people each year, making it a leading cause of death for both adolescents and the elderly.
Translator: Valentina Vagge