Breathing may be hazardous to your health

Hold your breath now and listen to this: Every breath you take of polluted air carries toxic gases and tiny particles into your lungs, spewed out by power plants and factories; emitted by cars, buses and trucks; whipped up into the air by windstorms; and, in smaller amounts, created by activities as basic as cooking and cleaning.

"Air pollution is causing serious health problems and lower productivity is severely impacting the Filipino’s quality of life," World Bank country official Robert Bank told journalists last month. In a report entitled The 2002 Philippine Environment Monitor on Air Quality, the World Bank said that fine particle emissions alone cause an estimated 2,000 premature deaths each year, 9,000 cases of chronic bronchitis, and 51 million days of respiratory illness (a 70 percent increase over the last decade) in just four metropolitan areas – Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao and Baguio. In terms of lost of wages, medical treatment, and premature loss of life, the cost to urban residents in these cities is a staggering US$1.5 billion annually (equivalent to about two percent of GDP or P2,000 per person per year)!

In spite of the Clean Air Act of 1999, the overall quality of air in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila, has not improved. Indeed, whether you live in a rural town or a traffic-tangled city, there are plenty of dangers lurking in the air you breathe. Knowing about these airborne hazards can help you avoid them as much as possible. Here’s a lineup of some of the worst offenders:

TOXIC GASES

• Carbon monoxide. What it is: A colorless, odorless gas. Where it comes from: Vehicle exhaust accounts for about 60 percent nationwide and as much as 95 percent in traffic-snarled urban areas. Why worry: This gas interferes with the delivery of oxygen to the organs and tissues. It’s most dangerous to people with heart disease, but at high levels, it can also cause problems for healthy people. Status in 2002: Eight-hour standard exceeded in Metro Manila.

• Lead. What it is: A toxic metal that can become airborne. Where it comes from: The main culprits are lead smelters, waste incinerators, utilities and lead-acid battery manufacturers. Inside, most comes from flaking lead paint, tracked-in contaminated soil, and the dusty clothes of workers who encounter lead. Why worry: Lead can damage internal organs, the brain, and nerve cells. High levels are linked to memory loss, mood changes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and brain damage in kids. Status in 2002: Ambient levels are down due to the elimination of lead in gasoline since January 2001.

• Ozone. What it is: A colorless gas made up of three oxygen molecules. Where it comes from: Principal sources include industrial emissions, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents. Why worry: Over time, exposure to ozone has been shown to cause lung damage. (Ozone levels are usually highest on hot, dry, summer days.) Status in 2002: One-hour standard exceeded in seven out of eight months in 2001-2002 in Metro Manila.

• Nitrogen oxide. What it is: Odorless gases made up of nitrogen and oxygen that cause the reddish-brown haze that settles over polluted cities. Where it comes from: Motor vehicles, electric utilities, industries and businesses that burn fuels are the major sources. Gas stoves produce nitrogen oxide indoors. Why worry: Nitrogen oxides can cause lung irritation and even damage lung tissue. Studies have shown that exposure can reduce lung function. Status in 2002: Figures not available for the Philippines.

• Sulfur dioxide. What it is: A gas composed of sulfur and oxygen. Where it comes from: More than 65 percent comes from electric utilities, particularly those that burn coal. Other sources include petroleum refineries and metal processing plants. Why worry: Sulfur dioxide aggravates lung and heart conditions. Those with asthma are particularly susceptible. Status in 2002: No figures available for Metro Manila or the Philippines.

PARTICULATE POLLUTION

As experts anticipated, people who have respiratory problems are more likely to die when air quality is bad. But many others are dying in a way researchers would never have predicted: As a result of sudden heart failure, sometimes within hours after a surge in levels of dust and soot in the air.

At first, researchers thought the particulates might be innocent bystanders because all kinds of noxious particles and gases tend to hang together on polluted days. But when researchers zeroed in on the particles, bingo: For every increase of just 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air, the number of reported deaths climbed one half of one percent – and particulate levels can jump by more than 10 times that on a hazy day.

And don’t think you can banish the problem by keeping your windows closed and shutting your doors. Harvard researchers found that common household chores such as dusting, vacuuming, and yes, even cooking, can send large amounts of tiny particles spinning into the air you breathe.

CLEANER AIR

A few environment-friendly choices can go a long way toward clearing the air of these potentially harmful particles. Here’s what the experts recommend to benefit your lungs and heart – and the environment.

• Do not exercise outdoors on smoggy days. Even if you’re healthy, keep an eye on smog if you exercise outside. A vigorous workout outdoors can quadruple the amount of air – and particulates – you inhale, all while your heart is pumping hard. Since motor vehicles are prime producers of particles, avoid running or bicycling along busy roads, especially around rush hours. Schedule your workout from very early in the morning or in the evening when smog levels are at their lowest.

• Get a good filter. Equipping your home with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter can lower particulate levels by as much as 76 percent.

• Hit the fan. Cooking, especially broiling and sautéing, can send indoor particle levels soaring. So, install and use a fan that vents to the outside. (Be sure to get one approved for kitchen use.)

• Upgrade your vacuum. Vacuums equipped with HEPA filters capture far more small particles than those with less-effective filters.

• Ban smoking. Cigarette smoke contains a slew of noxious particles, one reason secondhand smoke is dangerous. Ask your smoking friends to light up outside.

• Open up. When the outside air quality is good, open your windows or doors.

• Idle less. Don’t allow a car to run inside an attached garage: High levels of particulates and noxious fumes can build up.

• Do your part. Report smoke-belching vehicles. Call the MMDA anti-smoke belching unit at 882-4151 (to 77) local 374 or the Bantay Usok hotline 925-3333 or 925-5555.

There is an urgent need to clean our air now! This is not a political issue but a grave health concern. It is lamentable that even before we can fully benefit from the Clean Air Act of 1999, there are some who want to delay its full implementation on the grounds that the new standards would be exceedingly expensive to meet.

I hope that we will learn from the wise justices of the US Supreme Court who, earlier this year, ruled in favor of the US Environmental Protection Agency, agreeing that "clean-air standards should be based on public-health considerations, no matter what the cost."