• Study was conducted in schools, colleges, hospitals, shopping malls, restaurants, offices and cinema halls etc.
• According to it, concentration levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded 2-5 times higher than permissible limits set by Central Pollution Control Board for ambient air quality in India. Levels are 10-15 times higher than WHO’s 24-hour average limits.
Key causes identified:
• Smoking in offices, hospitals and colleges.
• High CO2 levels due to higher occupancy and inadequate ventilation.
• Use of chemical cleaning agents, floor cleaners and cooking oils causing high level of Volatile Organic Compounds in hospitals and restaurants.
• Other causes of IAP: Cooking using biomass, gases from painting, airborne particles from diesel exhaust etc.
Impact of Indoor air pollutions:
• Increases potential of health risks like respiratory illness, acute respiratory tract infection, etc.
• Significantly affects problem solving, mathematical abilities, IQ and learning capabilities in children.
• Impacts overall productivity due to fatigue, dizziness, allergies, sinus congestion etc.
• WHO designated IAP as one of the four most critical global environmental problems in developing countries.
• Some steps taken to address IAP include, Unnat Chulha Abhiyan, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana etc.
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Mains Paper 3: Environment
Prelims level: Indoor air pollutions
Mains level: Impact of Indoor air pollutions