Controlling Air Pollution: Recommendations and Strategies

This assignment provides an in-depth analysis of air pollution, its impact on the environment, and its consequences for human health. It also presents various recommendations and strategies to control air pollution, including reducing exposure through city planning, using clean transportation, saving energy, recycling, and promoting sustainable practices. The document is a comprehensive guide for individuals and communities seeking to mitigate the effects of air pollution.

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................. 1
The objective of the report...................................................................................2
Air Pollution Causes............................................................................................... 2
Primary Pollutants............................................................................................... 3
Secondary Pollutants.......................................................................................... 3
Air Pollution Effects................................................................................................ 3
Air Pollution Effects on Health...........................................................................4
Policies to diminish air pollution..........................................................................5
Reducing exposure through city planning.......................................................5
Recommendations to control Air pollution.........................................................5
References............................................................................................................... 6
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Emissions by Source Category....................................................................2
Figure 2: Petrochemical Smog Formation...................................................................3
Figure 3: Death Rates from Air pollution, World, 1990 to 2017..................................4
Introduction
The alternation in the quality of air that can be characterized by biological, chemical and
physical extents of pollutants in the air is known as Air Pollution. Another explanation of Air
Pollution is irregular rise in the percentage of some constituents of the atmosphere and unwanted
impurities presence. When we think about air pollution, we don’t consider germs, but it is really
the similar impression. The germs can be the pollutants but until those germs are sneezed out, air
wouldn’t be polluted. The air pollution effects ranges from rising temperatures to higher disease
risks. Some of the examples of very common air pollutants include methane, soot, smoke, carbon
dioxide and mold. Air Quality Index of AQI is the measure of outdoor air pollution in U.S.
According to which the concentration of five major pollutants in the air rate its quality. These
pollutants include particulate matter (particle solution), sulfur dioxide, ground-level ozone,
carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Some of these pollutants also contributed indoor air
contamination along with cigarettes smoke, formaldehyde, radon, asbestos, VOCs (Volatile
Organic Compounds) and other constituents.
Air Contamination causes a major hazard to health and climate, from smoke dangling over cities
to inside home smoke. There is a wide range of diseases related to pollution. These diseases
include heart diseases, lung tumor, COPD, stroke and respirational infections.

The objective of the report
The main objective of the report is determining the air pollutants and their effects on human
health. We will also discuss the government policies in controlling of air pollution and the steps
we should take as an individual to tackle this situation.
Air Pollution Causes
When we think about the term “Air Pollution”, we likely to think about activities of human, for
example burning of fossil fuels, emission from cars, boats and planes. Air pollution can also be
come from sources of nature too. In the natural pollution sources, volcanoes are the great
examples. A large amount of gases and particles are produced by them and they send up into the
atmosphere through eruptions. A large amount of potentially harmful particulate matter and
gases are produced by forest fires, which are also natural procedures. Not depending on source,
there are two ways how pollution enter into the atmosphere.
1. Point Source Pollution.
2. Non-point source Pollution.
When the source of foundation of the air pollutants is single like smokestacks from a single
factory then it is known as “Point Source Pollution”. When the origins of the pollutants are
many, for example all the cars in U.S then it is known as “Non-point source pollution”. As the
sources of the pollutants are different same is the case with their effects. There are two main
categories of air pollution based on their effects which include:
Figure 1: Emissions by Source Category

Primary Pollutants
The kind of pollutants that goes directly into the surroundings are known as primary pollutants.
The major dissimilarity between primary and secondary impurities is that secondary are formed
in atmosphere. There are many sources of primary pollutants include: natural gas power plants,
coal-fired power plants, natural forest fires, natural gas burning, volcanoes and many more. The
primary pollutants contribute to form secondary pollutants. Due to economic and technology
changes and improved regulations the emission of primary pollutants is controlled. Primary
pollutants include volatile organic compounds, NOx, CO, SOx, Mercury, particulate matter and
many more.
Secondary Pollutants
These pollutants are not emitted directly into the atmosphere but they are formed into the
atmosphere as a result of pollutants reacted with molecules in the atmosphere. From many
different compounds secondary pollutants can be formed. The interactions of primary pollutants
with the molecules of the atmosphere like oxygen, hydrocarbons and water resulted in forming
photochemical smog. The photochemical smog is formed by various secondary pollutants like
peroxyacyl nitrates (PANs), nitric acid and ozone. Due to the inversion layers, primary pollutants
can’t be dispersed into the atmosphere and where they are produced, smog is formed over the
area. This is the reason in warm dense cities smog is prominent.
Figure 2: Petrochemical Smog Formation
Air Pollution Effects
The human health and surroundings are effected badly by a variety of air pollutants. The
combustion from generation of power, space heating vehicle traffic generated these air pollutants
principally in many areas of Europe. The undesirable effects of air pollution on our environment
includes:

1. Acid Rain.
2. Change in Climate.
3. Global warming.
4. Animal Species Extinction.
5. Smog Effect.
6. Fields Deterioration.
7. Sensitivity of Chemicals.
8. Building materials Deterioration.
Air Pollution Effects on Health
The health issues because of air pollution are severe. One third of the deaths from lung cancer,
stroke and heart diseases are due to the air pollution. It has a similar effect like smoking
cigarettes and having too much salts. Regardless of how rich a zone you live in Air
contamination is difficult to get away. We are surrounded by it. Tiny toxins noticeable all around
can slip past safeguards of our body, penetrating profound into our respiratory and circulatory
system, damaging our lungs, brain and heart. Our physical and psychological wealth is diversely
influenced by the kind of air pollution we are existing in. There are numerous organs and
functions of body that can be injured, the consequences including, anxiety, headaches, fatigue,
cardio vascular damage, Respirator diseases, Irritation of nose, throat and eyes, harm to spleen,
liver and blood and damage of nervous system.
Figure 3: Death Rates from Air pollution, World, 1990 to 2017
The response of individuals is different to various sorts of air pollution. Small kids and older
people, whose safe frameworks will in general be more fragile, are regularly progressively subtle
to contamination. Conditions, for example, asthma, coronary illness, and lung ailment can be
exacerbated by introduction to air contamination. The exposure length and kind and amount of
contaminations are additionally issues.
A large number of the substance prejudices directly influence individuals' skin. One of the most
noticeably awful harm is cancer of skin. This is due to incidence of ultraviolet light rays on the
skin directly from the sun. the filter is provided by the ozone layer for the blockage of these rays.

The effectiveness of the filter decreases when the ozone layer is thinner than it used to be. It let
the rays pass through it which are harmful for humans in many ways.
The one of the most worrying effect of air pollution on human body is the respiratory problem.
Respiratory illness and allergies ranging from coughs to asthma and cancer to emphysema are
caused by these pollutants. The lungs and other organs that make up the respiratory system are
affected by the inhalation of toxic agents directly.
Policies to diminish air pollution
An enormous difference in protecting the health can be made by providing protections at local,
federal and state levels as well as private sector mitigation. The pollution has been limited by the
federal government since 1960s, from a range of sources including industrial facilities, power
plants, trucks, cars and off-road engines. According to the 2011 analysis, for every dollar spent,
Clean Air Act provided 30 USD worth of health benefits. For specific pollutants, including soot,
smog and greenhouse gases, all vehicles and engines operating in United States must comply
with standards of emission.
EPA's Smart-Way program has engaged organizations to move products in the cleanest, most
vitality effective way. Since 2004, Smart-Way has spared 170.3 million barrels of oil what could
be compared to disposing of the yearly vitality utilization of in excess of 6 million homes.
Reducing exposure through city planning
Urban communities can utilize air quality emanations and data information to guide planning
decisions in manners that lessen occupants' presentation to air contamination, for instance, by
building clinics, schools or lodging advancements farther away from significant wellsprings of
contamination like interstates. Similarly, nearby and local governments can utilize air
contamination information to control transportation arranging, and organizations can join this
data in cargo the board. Decreasing exposure to air contamination has significant advantages,
however cutting emanations at the source is the most integral asset for securing individuals'
wellbeing over the long haul.
Recommendations to control Air pollution
The steps we can take in order to control the air pollution which is costing us our lives includes:
1. To reduce pollution use bikes or walk except cars and buses.
2. Save energy and make sure that you are using energy efficiently.
3. Use appliances smartly and minimize the use of Air Conditioners.
4. Switching to sources of renewable energy.
5. Taking good care of fireplaces of wood stoves.
6. Recycling and buying recycled products.
7. Consuming less and choosing sustainable products.

8. Growing our own food and eating seasonal products.
9. Raising awareness and taking interests in local matters.
10. Using non-toxic cleaners or natural products.
References
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https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution/.
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. "Ways to prevent indoor and outdoor Air Pollution." Retrieved 31st May, 2020,
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