1950s. In China annual average SO
concentrations of 402 g m\ and particulate
matter (TSP) concentrations of 690 g m\ have been recorded in ‘urban’ sites in
Chongqing in 1985—89. Globally more than 1200 million people may be
exposed to excessive levels of sulfur dioxide and more than 1400 million people to
excessive levels of suspended particulate matter.
Specifically, some traffic-related pollution (giving rise to oxides of nitrogen,
CO, particulates and VOCs) has continued to increase in many parts of the world
as vehicle numbers increase, often negating improvements in engine or fuel
technology. Lead in petrol has been phased out in most of Europe, and the health
damaging lead concentrations have been reduced. Focus in Europe has now been
placed on reducing PM
, NO
V
, benzene and buta-1,3-diene (both carcinogens)
and plans are being implemented to reduce these pollutants. The nature of the
pollution in urban areas in Europe is therefore changing, even though the overall
impact has reduced. Air pollution from the transport sector now dominates in
some developing country cities, where particulate emissions from diesel vehicles
can be very high, leaded petrol is still in use and where hot, sunny conditions
readily give rise to photochemical smogs, leading to increased ozone- and
NO
V
-related health impacts.
Indoor air pollution is a severe problem in many developing countries,
particularly in many parts of Africa and Asia. This is especially so for women,
cooking over open fires in houses that have poor ventilation. It is a major
problem in rural areas and villages, where the poor may be using dung or
fuelwood for cooking, rather than cleaner fuels such as kerosene or gas. Roughly
20—35 per cent of total energy consumption in developing countries uses
‘traditional fuels’ of wood and other biomass fuels. However, the scale of the
health impact of indoor air pollution is difficult to estimate as there are relatively
few data, but it has been estimated that 2.8 million premature deaths per annum
may be the result of indoor air pollution.
Biomass burning is an air pollution problem more clearly related to Asia,
Africa and Latin America than with Europe or North America. The total
emission of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides can be high, but generally
spread over large areas. The smoke haze episode of 1997 in Indonesia and
surrounding countries was related to fires used for forest clearance burning out of
control. This became a regional health problem with air quality indices reaching
hazardous levels and states of emergency declared in areas in several countries in
South-East Asia. More than 8000 people were admitted to hospital in Malaysia
with health problems related to air pollution.
T. Larssen, H.-M. Seip, A. Semb, J. Mulder, I. P. Muniz, R. D. Vogt, E. Lydersen, V. Angell, T.
Dagang and O. Eilertsen, Acid deposition and its effects in China: an overview, Environ. Sci. Policy,
1999, 2, 9—24.
UNEP, Urban Air Pollution. UNEP/GEMS Environment Library No. 4, United Nations
Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, 1991.
DETR, Air Quality and Transport. Part IV The Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality
Management, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, London, 2000.
WRI, World Resources: 1998—99, World Resources Institute. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998.
K. R. Smith, Indoor air pollution in developing countries: growing evidence of its role in the global
disease burden, in Proceedings of Indoor Air ’96, 7th International Conference on Indoor Air
Quality and Climate, Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, 1996.
A Perspective on Global Air Pollution Problems
29
concentrations of 402 g m\ and particulate
matter (TSP) concentrations of 690 g m\ have been recorded in ‘urban’ sites in
Chongqing in 1985—89. Globally more than 1200 million people may be
exposed to excessive levels of sulfur dioxide and more than 1400 million people to
excessive levels of suspended particulate matter.
Specifically, some traffic-related pollution (giving rise to oxides of nitrogen,
CO, particulates and VOCs) has continued to increase in many parts of the world
as vehicle numbers increase, often negating improvements in engine or fuel
technology. Lead in petrol has been phased out in most of Europe, and the health
damaging lead concentrations have been reduced. Focus in Europe has now been
placed on reducing PM
, NO
V
, benzene and buta-1,3-diene (both carcinogens)
and plans are being implemented to reduce these pollutants. The nature of the
pollution in urban areas in Europe is therefore changing, even though the overall
impact has reduced. Air pollution from the transport sector now dominates in
some developing country cities, where particulate emissions from diesel vehicles
can be very high, leaded petrol is still in use and where hot, sunny conditions
readily give rise to photochemical smogs, leading to increased ozone- and
NO
V
-related health impacts.
Indoor air pollution is a severe problem in many developing countries,
particularly in many parts of Africa and Asia. This is especially so for women,
cooking over open fires in houses that have poor ventilation. It is a major
problem in rural areas and villages, where the poor may be using dung or
fuelwood for cooking, rather than cleaner fuels such as kerosene or gas. Roughly
20—35 per cent of total energy consumption in developing countries uses
‘traditional fuels’ of wood and other biomass fuels. However, the scale of the
health impact of indoor air pollution is difficult to estimate as there are relatively
few data, but it has been estimated that 2.8 million premature deaths per annum
may be the result of indoor air pollution.
Biomass burning is an air pollution problem more clearly related to Asia,
Africa and Latin America than with Europe or North America. The total
emission of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides can be high, but generally
spread over large areas. The smoke haze episode of 1997 in Indonesia and
surrounding countries was related to fires used for forest clearance burning out of
control. This became a regional health problem with air quality indices reaching
hazardous levels and states of emergency declared in areas in several countries in
South-East Asia. More than 8000 people were admitted to hospital in Malaysia
with health problems related to air pollution.
T. Larssen, H.-M. Seip, A. Semb, J. Mulder, I. P. Muniz, R. D. Vogt, E. Lydersen, V. Angell, T.
Dagang and O. Eilertsen, Acid deposition and its effects in China: an overview, Environ. Sci. Policy,
1999, 2, 9—24.
UNEP, Urban Air Pollution. UNEP/GEMS Environment Library No. 4, United Nations
Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, 1991.
DETR, Air Quality and Transport. Part IV The Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality
Management, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, London, 2000.
WRI, World Resources: 1998—99, World Resources Institute. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998.
K. R. Smith, Indoor air pollution in developing countries: growing evidence of its role in the global
disease burden, in Proceedings of Indoor Air ’96, 7th International Conference on Indoor Air
Quality and Climate, Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, 1996.
A Perspective on Global Air Pollution Problems
29